EDWARD  S.ELLIS 


S.  EDWIN  CORLE,  JR. 

HIS  BOOK    


THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

IN  MEMORY  OF 
EDWIN  CORLE 

PRESENTED  BY 
JEAN  CORLE 


STRANGE  ADVENTURE  SERIES,— No.  *. 

UP  THE 
FORKED  RIVER 

OR, 

Adventures  in  South  America 

BY 


SEWARD  D.  LISLE, 

of  "TEDDY  AND  Tow««,"  etc.,  «tc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO, 

.CHICAGO  PHILADELPHIA  TORONTO 


COPYRIGHTED,  1994, 

BY 

HENRY  T.  COATES  &  CO. 


UP  THE   FORKED   RIVER 

OR 

ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA 


CHAPTER  I. 

TJWO  friends  were  seated  in  the  private 
I  office  of  Rowland  &  Starland,  Mont- 
gomery Street,  San  Francisco,  not 
long    ago,  discussing  a  subject  in 
which  both  were  much  interested. 

Each  gentleman  was  past  three-score,  but 
they  were  well  preserved,  of  rugged  healtii, 
well  to  do  and  prosperous.  They  had  got  on 
for  many  years  without  so  much  as  a  shadow 
of  difference  between  them.  They  had  made 
the  tour  of  Europe  together,  had  engaged  in 
many  an  outing  and  now  as  the  evening  of  life 
was  drawing  on,  they  took  matters  with  that 
complacency  and  comfort  which  was  credit- 
able to  their  good  sense  and  which  was  war- 
ranted by  their  circumstances. 


6  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Mr.  Thomas  Starland,  the  junior  partner, 
removed  his  cigar,  leaned  back  in  his  chair, 
and,  looking  kindly  into  the  face  of  his  friend, 
said: 

"  Teddy,  you  came  to  California  a  number 
of  years  before  I  did." 

The  other,  who  was  in  a  reminiscent  mood, 
smoked  in  silence  for  a  minute  or  so,  looking 
up  to  the  ceiling,  and,  when  he  replied,  it  was 
as  if  communing  with  himself: 

*  *  Yes ;  it  is  close  upon  half  a  century.  How 
times  flies!  I  was  a  small  boy,  and  I  often 
wonder  how  it  was  Providence  took  such  good 
care  of  me." 

"True,  you  were  a  young  lad,  but  you  had 
the  best  of  companions." 

"That  is  hardly  correct,  so  far  at  least  as 
one  was  concerned.  When  I  left  home  in  the 
East  to  join  my  father,  who  had  come  to  Cali- 
fornia ahead  of  me,  my  companion  was  an 
Irishman  named  Micky  McGuigan,  who  wa« 
as  green  as  I." 

"I  have  heard  you  speak  of  another  com- 
rade—a four-footed  one." 

"Ah,  yes,  our  dog  Towser,  one  of  the  most 
faithful  and  intelligent  brutes  that  ever  lived. 
He  died  long  ago  of  old  age  and  I  have  showed 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH    AMERICA.  7 

my  gratitude  and  love  for  his  memory  by  plac- 
ing- a  monument  over  his  remains.  Micky— 
peace  to  the  memory  erf  the  good  fellow— has 
also  rested  in  the  tomb  for  years,  and  it  was 
not  long  after  that  my  good  father  followed 
him,— so  of  all  my  companions  on  my  first 
coming  to  the  Pacific  coast,  not  one  remains." 

"You  could  hardly  have  passed  safely 
through  the  many  dangers  without  the  help 
of  others, ' '  suggested  Mr.  Starland. 

* '  I  admit  that.  No  braver  man  than  Micky 
McGuigan  ever  lived.  He  had  the  traditional 
Irishman's  love  of  a  fight  and  he  got  plenty 
of  it.  But,  Tom,  our  perils  began,  as  you 
know,  before  we  touched  foot  in  California. 
Off  the  southern  coast  our  steamer,  the  West- 
ern Star,  was  sunk  in  a  collision.  Teddy  and 
I  were  left  on  the  uninhabited  coast  (so  far 
as  white  people  are  concerned),  without  so 
much  as  even  a  gun  or  pistol.  Finding  our- 
selves marooned,  we  struck  into  the  interior, 
stole  a  couple  of  guns  and  some  ammunition 
(what's  the  use  of  denying  it  at  this  late  day?) 
from  some  Indians,  and  then  went  it  blindly. ' ' 

"I  recall  something  of  a  partnership  you 
made  with  an  experienced  miner." 

"Yes;  good  fortune  brought  us  together, 


8  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

and  it  was  a  lucky  thing  indeed  for  us  that 
we  were  picked  up  by  Jo  Harman,  who  piloted 
us  through  no  end  of  dangers.  We  spent 
weeks  in  hunting  for  gold  in  what  was  then 
one  of  the  wildest  regions  in  the  world," 

' '  How  did  you  make  out  ? ' ' 

"We  picked  up  a  few  particles,  just  enough; 
to  keep  hope  alive,  but,  in  the  end,  had  to  give 
it  up  and  take  our  chances  in  the  diggings  like 
the  rest  of  the  fortune  hunters." 

"Well,  Teddy,  we  have  proved  that  there 
are  other  ways  of  getting  treasure  than  by 
digging  in  the  earth  for  it" 

"Yes,  though  it  takes  digging  in  any  cir- 
cumstances, and  we  had  as  hard  times,  at  the 
beginning,  as  any  of  those  who  now  dwell  on 
Nob  Hill." 

From  the  above  brief  conversation,  you  will 
recall  the  principal  character  whom  you  met 
in  the  story  of  "Teddy  and  Towser."  The 
lad  who  passed  through  more  than  one  trying 
adventure  had  become  a  man  well  along  in 
middle  life.  After  settling  in  California,  he4, 
made  it  his  home.  He  married  a  lady  of 
Spanish  descent,  to  whom  a  single  child  was 
born,— Warrenia,  now  a  miss  almost  out  of 
her  teens.  Although  Mr.  Starland  was 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.  9 

younger  than  his  partner  and  married  later 
in  life,  his  son  Jack  was  several  years  the 
elder  of  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Rowland. 

Since  these  two  yeung  people  have  much  to 
do  in  the  chapters  tkat  follow,  the  reader  must 
be  given  a  clear  understanding  of  them  and 
their  peculiar  relation  to  each  other. 

While  the  parents  had  been  partners  in 
prosperity,  they  were  also  united  in  affliction, 
for  each  had  lost  his  wife  by  death,  when  the 
children  were  small.  Neither  married  again, 
for  they  had  loved  their  life  companions  too 
deeply  and  profoundly  to  think  seriously  of 
trying  to  replace  them. 

Another  minor  but  curious  coincidence 
must  be  noted.  Years  after  the  marriage  of 
the  partners,  Mr.  Starland  employed  a  Span- 
ish priest  to  trace  the  genealogy  of  his  wife, 
who  felt  a  strong  curiosity  in  the  matter.  In 
doing  so,  he  discovered  that  several  genera- 
tions earlier,  during  the  time  of  the  Spanish 
settlement  of  the  Southwest,  the  ancestors  of 
Mrs.  Starland  and  Mrs.  Rowland  were  related. 
This  was  surprising  but  peculiarly  pleasing 
to  both  families.  Because  of  this  remote  re- 
lationship, so  triturated  indeed  that  it  had 
really  vanished  into  nothingness,  Jack  Star- 


10  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

land  and  Warrenia  Eowland  called  themselves 
cousins. 

It  was  just  like  the  headstrong,  impulsive, 
mischievous  youth  to  go  still  further.  He 
hinted  that  the  priest  had  not  told  the  whole 
truth,  having  been  bribed  to  suppress  it  by 
the  father  of  Warrenia,  for  mysterious  rea- 
sons, which  he  dared  not  divulge.  What  did 
this  young  hopeful  do  but  insist  that  he  and 
Warrenia  were  brother  and  sister !  The  idea, 
grotesquely  impossible  on  the  face  of  it, 
caused  no  end  of  merriment  and  ridicule,  but 
Jack  stubbornly  maintained  his  claim.  He 
'declared  further  that  the  real  name  of  War- 
renia was  the  same  as  his  own,— that  is  Star- 
land.  He  often  addressed  her  as  Miss  Star- 
land,  and  she,  with  her  fun-loving  disposition, 
pretended  to  agree  with  him.  When  together, 
they  almost  invariably  spoke  to  or  of  each 
other  as  brother  and  sister,  and  there  were 
not  lacking  those  who  believed  they  were  ac- 
tually thus  related. 

The  odd  whim  gave  the  parents  no  little 
amusement  and  they  too  at  times  humored  it. 
The  very  absurdity  of  the  fancy  gave  it  its 
comicality. 

You  can  understand  how  deeply  each  par- 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.  11 

ent  loved  his  child.  Nothing  seemed  more 
natural  than  that  the  son  and  daughter 
should  become  man  and  wife  when  they  grew 
up,  though  neither  father  as  yet  had  made  any 
reference  to  such  an  event  which  would  have 
been  pleasing  to  both  and  eminently  fit  in 
every  respect. 

Jack  and  Warrenia  grew  to  maturity  as 
if  they  really  were  brother  and  sister.  She 
was  sent  East  to  attend  one  of  the  most  fa- 
mous young  ladies'  schools  in  the  country. 
Jack  was  on  the  point  of  entering  Harvard, 
when  he  received  an  appointment  to  West 
Point.  There  under  the  strict  regulations  he 
gained  few  opportunities  of  seeing  his  "  sis- 
ter. "  When  he  did  so,  it  was  when  she  and 
some  of  her  classmates,  under  proper  chap- 
eronage  visited  the  model  military  institution 
on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson. 

Jack  was  graduated  in  time  to  take  part 
in  our  war  with  Spain.  He  won  a  fine  rep- 
utation at  San  Juan  Hill,  and  would  have  re- 
ceived his  well  merited  promotion,  but  when 
a  Major  by  brevet,  he  resigned  to  become  in- 
terested in  his  father's  business,  which  was 
growing  to  a  degree  that  new  blood  and  vigor 
were  required  for  its  full  development 


CHAPTER  II. 

ERHAPS  Jack  Starland's  most  no- 
ticeable  trait  in  boyhood  was  his 
fondness  for  the  water.  He  was  a 
magnificent  swimmer  and  learned  to 
handle  a  small  boat  with  the  skill  of  a  veteran 
sailor.  Some  of  his  dare-devil  exploits  in 
cruising  among  the  Farallones  and  down 
the  coast  caused  his  father  great  concern. 
He  placed  such  severe  restrictions  upon  tiae 
lad  that  he  rebelled.  One  day  he  slipped  out 
of  the  house,  went  down  to  the  wharf  and  en- 
gaged to  go  as  cabin  boy  on  a  South  Sea 
whaler.  At  the  critical  moment,  however,  his 
conscience  asserted  itself  and  he  drew  back. 
His  father  never  knew  of  this  particular  ep- 
isode in  the  life  of  his  son.  Had  it  been  car- 
ried out,  it  would  have  broken  the  parent's 
heart. 

It  was  shortly  after  this  that  Jack  received 
his  appointment  to  the  Military  Academy. 
He  had  told  his  "sister"  Warrenia  of  his 

12 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.  13 

narrow  escape  from  playing  the  part  of  a  fool 
and  ingrate,  and  naturally  she  was  horrified. 

"There  never  would  have  been  the  slight- 
est excuse  for  such  folly  and  wickedness," 
said  she,  as  the  two  sat  in  a  palace  car  of  the 
overland  train,  flying  eastward;  "you  have 
the  kindest  of  fathers  and  you  can  never  do 
enough  to  repay  your  obligations  to  him." 

"I  admit  all  that,"  replied  the  young  man 
smiling,  "but  what's  the  use  of  rubbing  it  in 
when  I  didn't  run  away!" 

"But  you  started  to  do  so,"  she  persisted. 

"And  stopped  in  time:  what  was  wrong  in 
that?" 

"It  was  wrong  tkat  y«u  should  have  had  a 
minute  when  you  seri**sly  intended  to  com- 
mit the  crime." 

"Commit  the  crjaie!"  he  repeated,  with 
a  reproving  look;  "f^rhaps  it  would  have 
been  a  crime,  but  I'm  not  so  sure  about  that." 

"I  am;  Jack  I'm  ashamed  of  you." 

"So  am  I;  but  don't  forget  that  I  was 
younger  then  than  now." 

"Yes;  two  or  three  months;  persons  some- 
times grow  a  good  deal  in  that  period." 

"They  may  not  grow  so  much  in  stature, 
but  thev  do  in  sense." 


14  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"I  have  heard  of  such  instances,  but  I  do 
not  remember  to  have  met  any." 

"Come  now,  sister,"  laughed  the  youth 
who  admired  his  friend's  brilliancy,  "I  beg 
you  to  let  up ;  I  confess  all  you  have  charged ; 
I  am  a  base  villain,  for  whom  hanging  would 
be  too  good;  you  will  be  filled  with  remorse 
when  I  become  General  of  the  army  and  you 
recall  all  the  harsh  words  you  have  said  of 
me." 

"When  you  become  General  I  will  mourn 
my  cruelty  in  sackcloth  and  ashes.  But  I  am 
willing  to  change  the  subject.  Let  us  drop 
the  past  and  talk  of  the  future.  Your  term 
at  West  Point  I  believe  is  four  years." 

"Provided  I'm  net  'feumd'  as  the  expres- 
sion goes.  But  I'm  met  really  admitted  as 
yet,  though  I  passed  the  preliminary  examina- 
tion before  leaving  home  and  won  my  ap- 
pointment in  a  competitive  contest.  The  de- 
cisive examination  will  take  place  at  the  Point 
when  I  get  there;  I  understand  it  is  severe, 
but  I  am  quite  confident." 

"You  always  were,  no  matter  what  issue 
was  involved." 

Since  we  have  already  learned  that  all 
went  well  with  the  young  man,  it  is  not  neces- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  15 

sary  to  repeat  the  speculation  of  the  couple 
as  they  steamed  eastward.  Jack  did  ente* 
the  Military  Academy,  and,  as  I  have  said, 
made  a  creditable  record  for  himself.  War- 
renia  Rowland  at  the  same  time  became  a 
student  in  the  famous  young  ladies'  seminary, 
to  which  further  reference  will  be  made  later, 
and  the  two  were  graduated  within  a  few 
weeks  of  each  other. 

It  would  be  supposed  that  the  military 
career  upon  which  Major  Jack  Starland  en- 
tered would  have  extinguished  his  love  of 
boating  and  the  water,  but  it  did  not.  Could 
he  have  chosen  his  profession  it  would  have 
been  that  of  the  navy,  and  he  would  have  en- 
tered the  Academy  at  Annapolis,  but  that 
could  not  be  arranged  and  he  threw  his  whole 
energies  into  the  military  work. 

Now  it  chanced  that  Jack's  room  mate  and 
intimate  friend  was  the  son  of  a  prominent 
ship  builder  in  the  East.  This  youth  was  as 
fond  of  the  sea  as  the  young  Californian.  In 
one  respect  he  was  more  fortunate,  for  his 
father  had  presented  him  with  a  superb  yacht, 
with  which  he  had  cruised  up  and  down  the 
Atlantic  coast  and  made  a  trip  or  two  to  the 
West  Indies.  I  may  as  well  add  that  this 


16  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

same  yacht  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  our 
government  at  the  opening  of  the  war  with 
Spain  and  did  good  service  in  scouting  in 
Cuban  waters. 

The  cadets  at  West  Point  have  only  one 
vacation  dnring  their  fonr  years'  course; 
that  comes  at  the  end  of  two  years  and  lasts 
for  a  couple  of  months.  Jack  Starland  made 
a  flying  visit  home  and  then  accepted  the  invi- 
tation of  his  room  mate  to  go  on  a  cruise  with 
him  in  his  yacht.  It  being  in  the  summer 
time,  the  craft  headed  northward  and  visited 
Newport,  Bar  Harbor  and  several  other  noted 
resorts  on  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 

The  excursion  was  a  continual  delight  to 
both  young  men,  who,  as  you  are  aware,  must 
have  been  fine  specimens  of  physical  vigor, 
or  they  would  not  have  been  in  the  Military 
Academy.  Jack  wrote  such  a  glowing  account 
of  his  holiday  that  his  father's  heart  was 
touched.  He  read  the  letter  to  his  partner 
who  remarked: 

"A  good  sailor  was  spoiled  when  Jack  be- 
came a  soldier." 

"I  never  knew  a  lad  with  a  stronger  liking 
for  a  nautical  life.  Nothing  would  have  de- 
lighted him  more  than  to  become  a  sailor. 


ADVENTURES    IX    SOUTH    AMERICA.  17 

What  makes  me  respect  Jack,  is  that  with  all 
this  overwhelming  fondness  for  a  sailor's  life, 
he  has  had  too  much  good  sense  to  yield  to  it. 
He  has  never  asked  me  to  allow  him  to  go  to 
sea,  but  has  always  placed  my  wishes  first. 
Do  you  know,  Teddy,  that  even  when  a  head- 
long, impetuous  youngster,  he  must  have 
withstood  temptation  with  Roman  firmness. 
Of  course  for  the  last  year  or  two  no  thought 
of  going  contrary  to  my  desires  has  ever  en- 
tered his  mind." 

(Ah,  fond  parent,  you  are  but  a  single  ex- 
ample of  multitudes  of  fathers,  who  have  kept 
their  eyes  closed  to  what  was  going  on  within 
touch  of  their  hands.) 

"A  father  is  a  poorer  judge  of  his  children 
than  others.  My  love  for  Jack  is  hardly  sec- 
ond to  yours,  but  I  am  not  blind  to  his  faults. 
I  am  glad  to  say  that  he  hasn't  any  more  of 
them  than  he  is  entitled  to  have.  No  father 
ever  had  a  more  obedient  son;  judging  the 
boy  therefore,  in  cold  blood,  I  must  say  I 
agree  fully  with  you.  If  anybody  had  sug- 
gested to  Jack  when  a  boy  that  he  should  go 
contrary  to  your  wishes  or  run  away,  he 
would  have  made  it  a  casus  belli." 

(From  which  remark,  it  would  appear  that 


18  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

the  father  of  a  boy  is  not  always  the  only  one 
who  makes  an  error  concerning  the  youth.) 

"What  I'm  getting  at,  Teddy,  is  this:  the 
reading  of  that  letter  from  Jack  has  caused 
me  to  decide  upon  a  piece  of  extravagance. 
I'm  going  to  present  him  with  a  handsome 
yacht. " 

"It  will  cost  you  a  tidy  sum,  Tom." 

"I  know  that,  hut  it  will  be  a  good  invest- 
ment. He  may  not  have  many  opportunities 
for  enjoying  it  while  he  is  an  officer  of  the 
army,  but  unless  we  have  war  very  soon,  Jack 
will  follow  the  example  of  many  others  who 
have  been  educated  at  "West  Point  and  resign, 
holding  himself  at  the  disposal  of  the  govern- 
ment whenever  needed.  Of  course  his  ulti- 
mate destination  is  here,  in  our  business,  in 
this  office,  and  the  yacht  will  come  in  handy 
during  his  vacation  times." 

"And  probably  add  to  the  number  of  his 
vacations." 

"Which  will  be  well;  for  it  can  be  said  of 
few  of  our  business  men  that  they  have  more 
vacations  than  are  necessary  or  good  for 
them." 

"May  I  give  you  a  suggestion,  Tom?" 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH  AMERICA.  19 

"I  am  always  glad  to  receive  anything  of 
the  kind  from  you." 

"  We  can  make  as  good  yachts  on  this  side 
of  the  continent  as  in  the  shipyards  of  the 
East.  Nevertheless,  purchase  Jack's  yacht 
in  the  East." 

"Why?" 

"To  bring  it  through  the  Golden  Gate,  he 
will  have  to  come  around  Cape  Horn." 

"A  pretty  risky  voyage, — one  that  tests  the 
staunchness  of  a  boat  and  the  seamanship  of 
the  captain." 

"True,  and  make  it  a  condition  that  Jack 
himself  shall  bring  the  yacht  to  California." 

"It  shall  be  done,— nothing  will  delight  the 
young  rascal  more." 


CHAPTER  III. 

TJHE  reputation  of  the  Misses  Credell's 
Young  Ladies'  Seminary  was  inter- 
national and  the  halo  of  its  history 
was  sanctified  by  time.  It  was 
founded  by  the  grandmother  of  the  estimable 
sisters,  one  of  the  foremost  educators  of  her 
day,  and  one  who  took  up  the  profession  of 
teaching  through  love  for  it,  since  her  wealth 
made  her  independent  for  life. 

At  the  period  when  the  institution  rises  be- 
fore us,  its  students  represented  the  four 
quarters  of  the  globe.  There  were  young 
women  fitting  for  the  missionary  field  in  India 
and  China;  the  daughters  of  eminent  finan- 
ciers in  England,  Germany,  France  and 
Spain,  those  whose  parents'  influence  was 
felt  in  distant  climes,  including  several  from 
the  revolution-pestered  republics  of  South 
America. 

Manuela  Estacardo  was  the  only  child  of 
the  deceased  sister  of  President  Pedro  Yoz- 
20 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA.  21 

arro,  Dictator  of  Atlamalco.  She  was  a  bril- 
liant daughter  of  the  tropics,  gifted  in  mind 
and  person,  with  the  midnight  eyes  and  hair, 
the  dark  complexion,  classical  features,  small 
white  teeth  and  faultless  form  rarely  seen  ex- 
cept in  the  fervid  sunlight  of  the  low  latitudes. 
Positive  and  negative  electricity  draw  to- 
gether, which  perhaps  explains  why  the  two 
most  devoted  intimates  at  the  seminary  were 
Senorita  Estacardo  and  Warrenia  Rowland. 
The  latter  was  a  true  product  of  the  North, 
with  blue  eyes,  pink  skin,  hair  like  the  floss  of 
the  ripening  corn,  and  a  figure  as  perfect  as 
her  sister's  of  the  South,  while  the  mental 
gifts  in  one  were  equalled  in  the  other. 

The  friendship  of  these  two  began  with 
their  first  meeting,  and  continued  unrippled 
to  the  sad  day  of  gladness  when  they  were 
graduated.  Manuela  spent  most  of  her  va- 
cations in  the  home  of  Warrenia  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  promise  had  been  solemnly 
given  by  the  latter  that  she  would  visit  her 
friend  after  her  return  to  her  distant  home 
under  the  equator.  The  story  of  this  sweet 
comradeship  cannot  be  told  in  a  fractional 
part  of  its  fulness.  To  prevent  any  misun- 
derstanding, however,  on  the  part  of  the 


22  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

reader,  let  it  be  known  that  though  Major 
Jack  Starland  and  the  Sefiorita  were  often  to- 
gether, and  they  became  the  warmest  of 
friends,  there  never  was  and  there  never 
could  be  any  tenderer  feeling  between  them. 
And  this  was  true  for  the  best  of  reasons: 
the  dark-eyed  Senorita  had  pledged  her  heart 
to  a  certain  young  officer  of  her  own  country. 
Both  were  as  loyal  in  their  affections  as  is 
the  magnet  to  the  pole  and  there  was  no  pos- 
sible room  for  complications. 

When  Mr.  Starland  presented  the  hand- 
some yacht  to  his  son  Jack,  neither  he  nor  his 
partner  Mr.  Rowland  dreamed  of  the  strange 
consequences  that  were  to  follow.  Jack  re- 
signed his  commission  in  the  army,  his  yacht, 
which  he  had  named  the  Warrenia,  in  honor 
of  his  " sister,"  was  returned  to  him  with  the 
thanks  of  the  United  States  government,  and 
he  was  then  ready  to  carry  out  the  stipulation 
of  his  father,  that  he  should  bring  the  craft 
around  Cape  Horn  to  San  Francisco.  Her 
usefulness  when  in  the  naval  service,  required 
her  presence  in  the  Atlantic,  but  she  was  now 
free  to  go  whither  her  owner  willed.  Thus 
the  perilous  voyage  had  been  postponed  for 
a  few  years. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  23 

Manuela  Estacardo  had  returned  to  her 
Lome  in  tropical  America,  and  she  and  her 
dearest  friend,  Warrenia  Eowland,  were 
never  laggard  in  their  correspondence.  The 
South  American  insisted  that  Warrenia 
should  make  her  long-promised  visit,  and  the 
daughter  of  the  North  was  eager  to  do  so. 
The  journey,  however,  was  so  long  and  diffi- 
cult that  no  practicable  way  presented  itself 
until  in  a  twinkling,  as  may  be  said,  the  path 
was  cleared  by  the  decision  of  Major  Star- 
land  to  double  Cape  Horn  with  his  yacht. 

What  was  to  prevent  his  taking  Warrenia 
as  a  passenger,  ascend  the  Amazon  to  the 
home  of  Manuela  and  pay  that  cherished 
visit?  The  plan  was  so  simple  that  every  one 
to  whom  it  was  mentioned  wondered  why  it 
was  not  thought  of  before.  Aunt  Cynthia 
would  accompany  her  niece  as  chaperon,  and 
the  pause  would  cause  little  delay  in  the  voy- 
age. What  matter  if  it  did,  for  time  was  of 
no  special  consequence,  and  a  few  weeks,  one 
way  or  the  other,  were  not  worth  taking  into 
account. 

When  Mr.  Rowland  proposed  to  his  part- 
ner that  a  condition  of  the  gift  of  the  yacht 
to  his  son  ought  to  be  the  severe  test  of  a  voy- 


24  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

age  under  the  latter 's  direction  around  Cape 
Horn,  he  never  imagined  that  his  daughter 
was  to  share  the  danger.  But  he  could  not 
ask  that  the  young  man  of  whom  he  was  so 
fond  should  he  compelled  to  face  a  peril  of 
that  nature  in  which  he  would  refuse  his 
daughter  a  share.  It  cost  him  a  pang  to  yield, 
but  he  did  so  without  murmur,  and  fondly 
kissed  her  good  bye,  with  never  a  thought  of 
the  remarkable  experience  she  would  be 
called  upon  to  pass  through. 

As  for  good  Aunt  Cynthia,  she  was  wholly 
ignorant  of  what  in  the  most  favorable  cir- 
cumstances was  inevitable.  The  smothering 
temperature,  the  plague  of  insect  life  and  the 
actual  dangers  from  the  character  of  the  na- 
tives themselves,  were  wholly  unknown  and 
unsuspected  by  her.  Had  she  understood 
one-half  the  truth,  not  even  her  love  for  her 
niece  would  have  impelled  her  to  leave  her 
comfortable  home,  nor  would  she  ever  have 
given  her  consent  that  Warrenia  should  en- 
gage in  any  such  wild,  foolhardy  undertak- 
ing. But  Aunt  Cynthia's  education  had  been 
of  the  early  fashionable  kind,  which  furnished 
only  the  smallest  modicum  of  knowledge. 
You  may  be  sure  that  the  younger  ones,  who 


ADVENTFRES   TX   SOUTH   AMERICA.  25 

knew  a  good  deal  more  about  the  country  and 
the  people,  took  care  not  to  enlighten  her 
when  they  answered  her  numerous  inquiries. 

However,  all  was  satisfactorily  arranged 
and  Senorita  Estacardo  was  thrown  into 
transports  of  delight  by  the  receipt  of  a  letter 
saying  that  by  the  time  it  reached  the  young 
woman,  a  Miss  Rowland  would  be  out  on  the 
ocean  in  the  charge  of  their  old  friend,  Major 
Jack  Starland,  and  well  on  their  way  to  the 
home  of  the  Senorita,  where  they  intended  to 
make  a  good  long  visit,  before  resuming  their 
long  voyage  around  the  southern  point  of  the 
continent  and  then  up  the  western  coast  to 
San  Francisco. 

Ascending  the  mighty  Amazon  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  Rubio,  known  also  as  the 
Forked  River,  the  yacht  reached  the  home  of 
Senorita  Estacardo,  who,  it  need  not  be  said, 
gave  the  most  joyous  welcome  to  the  girl 
whom  she  loved  more  than  any  one  else  in 
the  wide  world. 

Before  reaching  its  present  destination,  the 
Warrenia  came  to  the  little  republic  of  Zal- 
apata,  where  a  pause  was  made  for  two  or 
three  days,  during  which  the  Major  and  the 
young  ladies  called  upon  General  Bainbos, 


26  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

the  President  and  Dictator,  who  treated  them 
with  the  utmost  consideration.  Later,  he  be- 
came the  guest  of  Major  Starland  on  the 
yacht,  upon  which  he  spent  most  of  his  time 
while  the  Americans  lay  off  that  quaint  town. 
The  susceptible  heart  of  the  bulky  South 
American  crackled  into  flame  on  the  first  sight 
of  the  northern  beauty,  though  he  smothered 
the  secret  so  well  that  none  except  the  young 
woman  herself  suspected  it  and  with  her  it 
was  scarcely  more  than  a  suspicion. 

From  Zalapata  the  yacht  steamed  to  At- 
lamalco,  the  home  of  Manuela  Estacardo. 
There  the  party  was  received  by  the  other 
impressionable  type  of  the  tropics,  General 
Pedro  Yozarro,  who  left  nothing  undone  to 
make  their  visit  pleasant  in  the  highest  de- 
gree. The  novelty  of  her  experience  was  its 
chief  enjoyment  to  Miss  Rowland,  who  found 
a  thrill  in  the  life,  with  its  conditions  the  op- 
posite of  those  to  which  she  had  always  been 
accustomed.  She  and  her  aunt  were  received 
into  the  household  of  General  Yozarro,  who 
immediately  became  their  humble  slave. 
Since  the  death  of  his  wife  and  sister,  the 
latter  taking  place  shortly  after  the  return 
of  his  niece,  Manuela,  the  latter  had  been  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  2T 

liead  of  the  household  and  its  retinne  of  serv- 
ants. 

The  Senorita  had  been  told  the  agreement 
between  Major  Starland  and  Miss  Rowland, 
which  was  that  during  their  visit  to  this  part 
of  the  world,  they  were  to  be  known  as 
brother  and  sister.  She  was  to  be  addressed 
as  Miss  Warrenia  Starland.  Her  hostess 
faithfully  carried  out  the  wishes  of  her  friend. 

"It  was  Jack's  proposition, "  explained 
Warrenia;  "he  seems  never  able  to  get  over 
that  absurd  fancy  of  his  boyhood  that  we  are 
really  brother  and  sister,  when  in  fact  we  do 
not  bear  the  slightest  relation  to  each  other. 
I  wanted  him  to  use  my  name,  but  he  is  so 
stubborn  he  wouldn't  agree  to  it.  You  know 
there  is  some  similarity  in  our  names,  but  he 
said  it  would  be  much  more  convenient  for 
me  to  take  his." 

"There  are  several  good  reasons  why  you 
should  do  so,"  said  the  Senorita  with  a  mean- 
ing smile ;  "one  of  which  is  that  you  will  grow 
accustomed  to  it." 

"But  what  advantage  is  there  in  that?" 

"It  will  come  easier  when  you  do  make  the 
rhange." 


28  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"I  can't  pretend  to  misunderstand  you, 
but  I  am  sure  that  will  never  take  place; 
neither  Jack  nor  I  has  such  a  thought." 

"How  do  you  know  what  Ms  thoughts 
are?" 

" Would  he  not  have  told  me  long  ago?" 

"Hasn't  he  done  so?" 

"Not  so  much  as  by  a  hint.  It  has  really 
been  as  brother  and  sister  between  us.  He 
has  always  accepted  that  relation  and  so 
have  I." 

"You  give  no  reason  why  it  should  not 
soon  assume  a  tenderer  and  closer  nature ;  I 
believe  it  will;  I  shall  be  delighted." 

"Ah,  my  dear  Manuela,  I  know  your  heart, 
but  we  of  the  North  do  not  make  love  as  you 
of  the  tropics.  One  of  these  days,  Jack  will 
meet  the  right  woman." 

' '  I  believe  he  met  her  years  ago. ' ' 

"Meaning  me,  but  you  are  mistaken." 

"How  is  it  with  you?" 

"I  am  still  heart  free.  I  won't  deny  that  I 
have  met  one  or  two  with  whom  I  was  pleased, 
but  it  was  nothing  more." 

' '  Because  your  love  has  gone  elsewhere ;  it 
went  long  ago ;  you  may  think  I  am  mistaken, 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.  29 

my  darling  Warrenia,  but  you  will  soon  find 
I  am  not." 

Then  both  laughed,  kissed  and  talked  of 
other  things. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ENERAL  Fernando  De  Bambos, 
President  and  Dictator  of  Zalapata, 
had  summoned  one  of  the  most  mo- 
mentous councils  of  war  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Republic.  Those  present  were  our 
old  friend,  Major  Jack  Starland,  who  was  a 
guest  of  the  General,  and  Captain  Alfredo 
Guzman,  Chief  of  Staff.  The  other  leaders 
sulked  because  they  were  not  invited  to  the 
conference,  but  General  Bambos  dared  not 
trust  them  with  the  important  matters  that 
were  oppressing  his  ponderous  brain  and  had 
troubled  him  for  weeks. 

The  meeting  was  held  in  the  upper  room 
of  the  east  wing  of  the  palace,  safely  removed 
from  eavesdroppers,  two  armed  guards  on 
the  outside  of  the  door  adding  to  the  isolation 
of  the  council.  General  Bambos,  though  short 
of  stature,  weighed  an  eighth  of  a  ton.  His 
uniform  gleamed  with  blue,  scarlet  and  gold, 
and  the  crimson  sash  around  his  waist,  with 
30 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  31 

its  gilt  tassels  almost  touching  the  floor,  was 
six  inches  nearer  his  head  in  front  than  at 
the  rear.  His  crimson  countenance  was  set 
off  by  a  prodigious  mustache,  the  waxed  ends 
of  which,  when  he  grinned,  tickled  his  temples. 
He  was  short-breathed,  asthmatic  and  pos- 
sessed a  tempestuous  temper.  The  big  curved 
sword  at  his  side  flipped  the  ground  when  he 
strode  to  and  fro,  as  was  his  custom  while 
agitated,  though  during  his  calmer  moods, 
the  formidable  weapon  swung  fairly  clear  of 
the  floor. 

Captain  Guzman,  Aide  and  Chief  of  Staff, 
was  swarthy,  deliberate  and  cool,  and  of  mod- 
erate stature.  He  had  proved  himself  a  good 
soldier  in  more  than  one  fight  with  their 
neighbors  in  that  breeding-nest  of  revolu- 
tions. 

At  the  present  time,  the  Warrenia  was  ab- 
sent for  a  few  days  at  San  Luis,  down  the 
river,  while  Jack  Starland  was  the  honored 
guest  of  General  Bambos,  who  was  eager  to 
secure  his  valuable  military  ability  for  the 
republic.  He  really  knew  nothing  of  the 
young  American's  experience  in  military 
matters,  but  he  was  not  ignorant  of  the  brav- 
ery of  his  people,  and  had  learned  how  com- 


32  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

pletely  they  crushed  Spain  in  the  late  war. 
When  he  heard  the  youth  addressed  as 
"Major"  he  was  immediately  fired  with  the 
ambition  to  gain  him  as  an  ally,  in  the  new 
revolution  that  was  impending. 

" Comrades/'  said  the  General,  as  he 
heaved  ponderously  to  his  feet,  addressing 
the  two  who  sat  at  the  table,  listening  expect- 
antly to  him,  "you  will  agree  with  me  that 
golden  opportunities  come  to  nations  as  well 
as  to  men.  Such  an  opportunity  has  opened 
to  the  Republic  of  Zalapata." 

As  he  spoke,  he  leaned  forward  with  his 
hands  resting  on  the  table,  and  the  chubby 
fingers  doubled  in  upon  the  palms.  His  huge 
mustache  twitched,  and  his  little  black  eyes 
shone  upon  the  placid  countenance  of  Captain 
Guzman,  lolling  in  his  chair  at  the  farther 
end  and  languidly  smoking  a  cigarette.  The 
Captain  calmly  met  the  flickering  glare  and 
the  General  shifted  it  to  Major  Starland  on 
his  right,  who  was  looking  through  the  open 
window  on  the  other  side  of  the  apartment, 
as  if  the  blue  sky,  with  its  fleecy  clouds, 
framed  by  the  opening,  was  all  that  interested 
him.  None  the  less,  he  was  thinking  hard  and 
not  a  word  escaped  him. 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.  33 

"I  repeat  that  such  an  opportunity  has  now 
opened  to  the  Republic  of  Zalapata." 

The  thin  husky  voice  climbed  several  notes 
of  the  register,  and  the  right  hand  of  the 
speaker  thumped  so  hard  on  the  table  that  it 
shook.  The  noise  would  have  been  consid- 
erable, had  not  the  impact  been  dulled  by  the 
fleshy  cushion  that  smothered  the  knuckles 
of  the  orator. 

Without  stirring  a  muscle,  Major  Starland 
glanced  sideways  at  the  face  of  the  General, 
who  swung  his  head  around  like  a  turtle 
peeping  from  his  shell  and  stared  again  at 
Captain  Guzman.  The  latter  snatched  his 
cigarette  from  his  lips  and  nodded  quickly 
several  times. 

General  Bambos  swung  back  to  the  upright 
poise,  or  rather  went  a  little  beyond  it  since 
his  bulky  protuberance  in  front  gave  him  the 
appearance  of  leaning  backward.  The  deep- 
ening crimson  of  his  countenance  showed  the 
profundity  of  his  anger. 

"How  much  longer  shall  we  submit  to  the 
insults  of  that  infamous  tyrant,  President 
Yozarro  of  the  Republic  of  Atlamalco,  Ac- 
tuated by  my  fervent  love  of  peace,  my  affec- 
tion for  my  people,  and  my  ardent  desire  for 


34  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

their  happiness,  I  have  acquiesced  in  wrong, 
vainly  hoping  that  a  sense  of  justice  would 
restrain  the  oppressor  from  going  too  far. 
But  he  mistakes  our  calmness  for  fear,  until 
every  man  of  intelligence  clearly  perceives 
that  unless  resistance  is  made,— not  simple 
resistance  alone,  but  aggressive  protest,  the 
grand,  glorious  Republic  of  Zalapata  will  be- 
come a  mere  appanage  of  Atlamalco.  I  have 
remonstrated  with  General  Yozarro,  and  in 
return  he  treats  me  with  contumely  and  in- 
sult My  nature  revolts,  my  blood  is 
stirred—  " 

To  make  more  emphatic  the  ebullition  of 
his  circulation,  General  Bambos  abruptly 
stopped  speaking  and  snatched  out  his  per- 
fumed silk  handkerchief  from  beneath  the 
partly  unbuttoned  breast  of  his  coat,  and 
mopped  his  lumpy  forehead.  He  had  care- 
fully conned  his  oration,  but  his  surging 
emotion  would  not  give  him  pause.  The  cli- 
max leaped  from  him.  At  the  highest  reach 
of  his  vibrant,  staccato  voice,  he  shouted : 
"The  time  has  come  to  draw  the  sword!" 
Grasping  the  top  of  his  scabbard  with  his 
left  hand,  and  the  handle  of  his  sword  with 
his  right,  he  made  a  curving  swing  upward, 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          35 

while  drawing  the  blade  from  its  nestling 
place.  There  was  always  difficulty  in  doing 
this,  since  when  the  arm  was  extended  to  its 
limit,  two  or  three  inches  of  the  point  of  the 
weapon  remained  in  the  sheath.  The  only 
way  to  overcome  the  hitch  was  to  push  down- 
ward and  backward  with  the  hand  which  in- 
closed the  upper  part  of  the  scabbard.  In  his 
excitement,  the  General  forgot  this  necessity, 
and,  with  the  right  arm  extended  to  the  high- 
est elevation,  the  weapon  was  not  free  from 
the  incumbrance  at  the  other  end.  He  tugged, 
swore  under  his  breath  and  grew  purple  of 
countenance. 

Major  Starland,  without  the  shadow  of  a 
smile,  looked  at  the  lower  hand  of  the  Gen- 
eral and  nodded  meaningly.  The  other  re- 
covered his  wits  at  the  same  moment,  liber- 
ated the  blade  by  the  method  indicated,  and 
flourished  it  so  far  aloft  that  the  keen  point 
nipped  the  ceiling. 

"The  time  has  come  to  draw  the  sword! 
Liberty,  justice,  equality  and  right  is  the  war 
cry  of  the  patriots  of  Zalapata!" 

Carefully  adjusting  his  weapon  so  that  it 
would  not  interfere,  the  General  sagged  down 
in  his  chair,  and  puffing  from  his  exertion 


36  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

and  excitement,  looked  into  the  faces  of  his 
friends  to  signify  that  he  was  now  ready  to 
listen  to  their  sentiments.  A  brief  silence 
followed,  and  then  Major  Starland  said  in 
an  even  voice : 

"I  have  learned  of  some  of  the  insults  re- 
ceived from  General  Yozarro,  Dictator  of  the 
Republic  to  the  west,  but  I  am  not  clear  as  to 
the  last  outrage:  may  I  be  enlightened?" 

He  looked  invitingly  at  Captain  Guzman, 
who  silently  puffed  for  a  minute  or  so  before 
speaking : 

"A  month  ago,  the  single  boat  which  con- 
stitutes the  navy  of  President  Yozarro  was 
engaged  in  target  practice;  one  of  the  shots 
passed  over  the  boundary  and  struck  the 
dwelling  of  a  citizen  of  Zalapata,  smashing  in 
a  side-wall  and  scaring  the  family  to  that  ex- 
tent that  they  are  still  a-tremble.  Complaint 
was  made  to  President  Yozarro,  who  treated 
the  complainant  with  contempt.  Then  ap- 
peal was  had  to  President  Bambos,  who  des- 
patched a  messenger  to  Yozarro,  demanding 
damages  and  an  apology,  and  the  salutation 
of  our  flag.  What  answer  did  the  tyrant 
send?  He  kicked  the  messenger  down  the 
steps  of  his  palace,  bidding  him  to  tell  our 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  37 

revered  President  that  if  he  or  anyone  else 
came  to  him  on  a  similar  errand,  he  would 
ram  him  down  the  throat  of  one  of  his  cannon 
and  fire  at  the  palace  of  General  Bambos." 

"But  that  threat  is  idle,"  gravely  re- 
marked Major  Starland. 

"Why?"  demanded  President  Bambos. 

"Neither  he  nor  you  have  any  ordnance 
big  enough  to  allow  a  man  to  serve  as  a 
charge  for  it." 

"A  quibble!"  commented  the  Captain;  "it 
does  not  lessen  the  deadly  nature  of  the  in- 
sult." 

"What  is  the  amount  of  the  claim!" 

General  Bambos  nodded  to  the  Captain  to 
answer. 

"Forty-two  pesos." 

"Ah-um!"  mused  the  American,  who 
picked  up  a  pencil  from  the  table  and  made 
a  few  figures  on  a  blotting  pad ;  * '  the  present 
value  of  a  peso  is  twenty-eight  cents.  That 
would  make  the  total  damage  eleven  dollars 
and  seventy-six  cents  in  the  currency  of  my 
country.  Does  President  Yozarro  refuse  to 
pay  this  claim?" 

"He  not  only  refuses  to  pay  the  just  de- 
mand," thundered  the  President,  "but  ac- 


38  UP  THE  FORCED  RIVER. 

companies  his  refusal  with  an  unpardonable 
insult. " 

"No  one  can  deny  that  yon  have  cause  for 
indignation,  but  knowing  how  deeply  yon 
have  the  good  of  your  people  and  country  at 
heart,  General,  I  would  ask  whether  there  is 
not  some  way  of  settling  the  dispute  without 
going  to  war." 

"Explain  yourself,"  said  the  President 
severely,  for,  having  set  his  heart  on  having 
war,  he  did  not  mean  to  be  bluffed  out  of  it. 

"Why  not  refer  the  dispute  to  The  Hague 
Tribunal  of  Arbitration?" 

"What  good  could  come  from  that?" 

"Suppose  it  decided  in  your  favor  and 
ordered  General  Yozarro  to  pay  the  claim!" 

"That  wouldn't  wipe  out  the  insult." 

"But,  if  he  was  ordered  to  apologize!" 

"He  wouldn't  do  it." 

"How  do  you  know  he  wouldn't!" 

"Don't  I  know  the  man  better  than  The 
Hague  Tribunal  or  anyone  else  knows  him?" 

"If  you  have  so  clear  a  case  against  Presi- 
dent Yozarro,  the  decision  is  sure  to  be  in 
your  favor." 

"You  forget,  Sir,  that  The  Hague  has  in- 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.  39 

suited  the  Republic  of  Zalapata  through  its 
President." 

"I  was  not  aware  of  that." 

"When  the  members  assembled  a  short 
time  ago,  I  sent  a  representative  with  a  re- 
quest that  he  be  permitted  to  act  as  one  of 
them.  Do  you  know  what  reply  was  made? 
They  said  they  had  never  heard  of  the  Re- 
public of  Zalapata." 

"In  other  words,  they  told  you  to  make  a 
reputation  first.  Quite  natural,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances. Nevertheless,  I  would  beg  to  in- 
sist that  the  proper  course  is  to  refer  this 
quarrel  to  The  Hague  Tribunal,  unless  the 
President  of  the  United  States  can  be  induced 
to  act  as  arbitrator.  More  than  likely  he  will 
settle  the  wrangle  by  paying  the  claim  out 
of  his  own  pocket." 

"You  mistake  your  man!"  roared  General 
Bambos;  "you  fail  to  see  that  that  would  re- 
lieve General  Yozarro  from  punishment  for 
his  insults  and  outrages  against  Zalapata.  It 
would  encourage  him  to  continue  his  infa- 
mous course,  since  our  powerful  neighbor  on 
the  north  would  relieve  him  from  all  penalty. 
^Toreover,  it  would  display  a  fatal  timidity 
on  the  part  of  the  United  States  regarding 


40  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

tlieir  pet  idol,— the  Monroe  Doctrine.  Such 
a  subterfuge  cannot  be  permitted." 

"I  had  thought  of  offering  to  pay  the  bill 
myself." 

With  fine  sarcasm,  General  Bambos  said: 

"I  am  glad  you  are  provided  with  a  surfeit 
of  funds.  Perhaps  you  will  be  willing  to  float 
our  last  loan!" 

''That  depends  upon  its  size;  if  it  isn't 
more  than  a  few  hundred  dollars  I  am  quite 
ready  to  give  you  a  lift." 

"I  must  decline  to  permit  any  more  quib- 
bling." 

"Will  you  consent  that  I  shall  close  the  in- 
cident by  paying  this  claim  against  Presi- 
dent Yozarro  of  the  Republic  of  Atlamalco  ? ' ' 

"I  do  if  you  will  agree  to  enforce  the  other 
conditions. ' ' 

"What  are  they!" 

"That  he  shall  apologize,  salute  our  flag 
and  pledge  himself  never  again  to  turn  his 
gun  in  the  direction  of  our  boundary  line." 

"You  have  added  impossible  terms,  Gen- 
eral, for  you  would  bind  him  to  make  no  re- 
sistance in  the  event  of  your  going  to  war  with 
him." 

"And  don't  you  perceive  on  your  part  that 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  41 

there  is  nothing  to  arbitrate!  This  talk  of 
arbitration  is  very  fine  for  the  one  who  is  in 
the  wrong.  Suppose  a  set  of  employees  re- 
fuse to  work  any  longer  unless  their  wages 
are  doubled.  The  employer,  knowing  it  means 
his  ruin,  refuses,  and  the  strikers  demand 
that  the  dispute  shall  be  referred  to  arbitra- 
tion. Is  that  just?— is  it  common  sense?" 

"Not  on  the  part  of  the  employees.  But 
your  supposition  is  hardly  supposable;  the 
employers  would  incur  no  risk  in  agreeing 
to  arbitration,  since  no  committee  on  earth 
would  fail  to  decide  in  their  favor,  after  the 
whole  truth  was  made  clear  to  them.  I  have 
noticed  that  it  is  generally  the  one  who  is  in 
the  wrong  who  refuses  to  arbitrate.  At  the 
same  time,  I  concede  that  there  can  be  no  such 
thing  as  forced  arbitration.  Every  employer 
or  capitalist  has  the  right  to  run  his  own  busi- 
ness to  suit  himself,  just  as  any  man,  or  set  of 
men,  have  the  right  to  quit  work  and  to  try 
to  persuade  their  friends  to  quit  with  them ; 
but,  your  pardon,  General ;  we  are  wandering 
from  the  question." 

"A  suggestion  I  was  about  to  make.  When 
you  reflect  that  a  respectful  demand  has  been 
made  upon  President  Yozarro  for  the  pay- 


42  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER, 

ment  of  a  just  claim,  and  that  lie  brutally  re- 
fuses, what  would  you  advise,  most  wise  and 
honored  Sir?" 

"I  have  offered  to  pay  the  claim  myself." 

"Your  offer  is  declined,  since  you  cannot 
enforce  all  the  conditions." 

"I  have  named  arbitration." 

"And  I  have  pointed  out  the  impossible 
folly  of  such  a  thing" 

* '  Admitting  that  President  Yozarro  refuses 
to  comply  with  the  decision  of  The  Hague 
Tribunal,  you  will  not  only  be  free  to  carry 
out  your  original  intention,  but  you  will  be 
justified  before  the  world." 

"No  more  than  I  shall  be  justified  now, 
for  many  of  the  Atlamalcans  themselves  con- 
demn the  course  of  their  President." 

"Why  not  make  one  more  appeal  to  him?" 

"How  shall  I  shape  my  message?  Whom 
shall  I  send  to  bear  it  to  him!" 

"I  will  be  the  messenger." 

"And  be  returned  to  me  from  the  throat 
of  a  cannon?" 

"I  will  take  nay  chances  on  that;  if  they 
have  a  gun  capacious  enough  to  expedite  mat- 
ters in  that  fashion,  the  journey  certainly  will 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  43 

not  be  a  monotonous  one.  You  forget  one 
thing,  General." 

"What  is  that?" 

"My  sister  is  the  guest  of  President  Yoz- 
arro;  I  am  anxious  to  see  her;  this  gives  me 
the  opportunity." 


CHAPTEE  V. 

MiAJOR  Jack  Starland  decided  to  make 
I  his  ambassadorial  trip  to  the  Atia- 
malcan  Republic  by  water  instead  of 
land,  and  to  take  as  his  companion, 
Captain  Guzman,  though  there  would  have 
seemed  to  be  slight  choice  between  the  two 
routes. 

The  Rio  Rubio,  flowing  from  the  foot  of  the 
Andes,  eastward  to  the  Atlantic,  forks  a  few 
miles  to  the  westward  of  Atlamalco,  the  two 
branches  reuniting  twenty  leagues  to  the  east- 
ward. The  island  thus  formed  is  twenty 
miles  across  the  widest  part,  and  tapers  to 
the  east  and  west.  As  if  nature  aimed  to  pro- 
vide for  two  distinct  communities,  a  precip- 
itous mountain  spur,  which  sprawls  several 
hundred  miles  north  and  south,  ribs  the  terri- 
tory almost  mathematically  in  the  centre,  and 
tumbles  onward,  broken  and  disjointed,  to 
the  shores  of  the  Caribbean  Sea.  The  rumors 
that  gold  and  diamonds  are  awaiting  garaer- 

44 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.  45 

ing  in  the  wild  solitudes  have  roused  the  earth 
hunger  of  more  than  one  powerful  nation, 
but  the  grim  dragon  that  crouches  in  the 
pulsing  jungles,  on  whose  forehead  flames  the 
legend,  " MONROE  DOCTRINE,"  sends 
them  soudding  back  across  the  seas. 

The  western  half  of  the  island  forms  the 
Republic  of  Atlamalco,  whose  President  and 
Dictator  is  General  Pedro  Yozarro ;  the  east- 
ern half  constitutes  Zalapata,  with  General 
Fernando  de  Banibos  at  its  head.  The  name 
"republic,"  as  applied  to  the  peppery  prov- 
inces has  as  much  appropriateness  as  if  given 
to  Russia  or  China.  The  respective  popula- 
tion of  the  two  republics  is  about  the  same, 
and  but  for  the  whimsical,  intense  jealousy 
that  is  the  most  marked  peculiarity  of  South 
American  countries,  the  two  might  grow  rich, 
prosperous  and  of  considerable  strength,  for 
no  region  on  the  globe  is  more  favored  in  the 
way  of  climatic  and  natural  resources. 

Major  Starland  understood  the  delicate 
tensity  of  the  relations  between  Zalapata  and 
Atlamalco.  They  had  been  at  war  before, 
with  the  advantage  at  times  on  one  side  and 
then  on  the  other,  the  final  result  being  no  de- 
cisive change  in  their  mutual  strength  or  in 


S  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

their  combative  propensities.  The  addition 
of  a  "gunboat'*  to  the  power  of  Atlamalco 
naturally  made  her  more  aggressive  and  de- 
monstrative. President  Bambos  dreamed  of 
acquiring  two  similar  engines  of  war,  when 
he  would  proceed  to  wipe  his  hated  rival  off 
the  earth ;  but  the  loan  which  he  tried  to  float 
remained  inert  and  the  northern  barbarians, 
whose  shipyards  send  forth  most  of  the  na- 
vies of  the  world,  insisted  upon  cash  or  secu- 
rity as  preliminary  to  laying  the  keels  of  the 
Zalapatan  fleet.  The  project  therefore  hung 
fire.  Though  the  craft  that  roamed  up  and 
down  the  bifurcated  river  was  referred  to  as 
a  gunboat,  it  was  simply  an  American  tug, 
some  seventy-five  feet  in  length,  of  the  same 
tonnage  and  with  a  single  six-pounder 
mounted  fore  and  another  aft.  From  New 
York  it  had  sneaked  southward,  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, through  the  inland  passage  to  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico  and  then  puffed  across  the  Car- 
ibbean and  so  on  to  the  Rio  Bubio  and  thence 
to  its  destination. 

As  intimated,  Major  Starland  had  the 
choice  of  two  routes  to  the  western  Republic : 
one  by  mule  path  or  trail  through  the  Rubio 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  47 

Mountains,  and  the  other  by  boat,  fifty  miles 
up  the  Rio  Rubio :  he  chose  the  latter. 

On  the  morning  following  the  council  of 
war,  he  and  his  swarthy  friend,  Captain  Guz- 
man, hoisted  sail  on  their  little  catboat,  at 
the  wharf  of  the  capital,  and  catching  the 
favoring  breeze,  curved  out  into  the  stream, 
which  was  half  a  mile  wide,  and  began  their 
voyage  against  a  moderate  current  Old 
campaigners  like  them  needed  little  luggage. 
The  native  officer  took  none  at  all,,  while  the 
Major's  was  in  a  small  hand  bag,  which  he 
had  brought  from  his  yacht,  twenty  miles 
away  at  San  Luis. 

The  American  seated  himself  at  the  stern, 
where  he  controlled  the  tiller,  while  the  na- 
tive lounged  on  the  front  seat  smoking  his 
eternal  cigarette.  Behind  them  the  pretty 
little  capital,  with  its  five  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, distributed  mostly  in  adobe  huts, 
shabby  and  of  small  dimensions,  gradually 
sank  out  of  sight,  and  finally  vanished  behind 
a  bend  in  the  river.  To  the  right,  stretched 
the  immense  undulating  plain  of  exuberant 
forest,  with  its  tropical  luxuriance,  its 
smothering  climate  and  its  overwhelming  ani- 
mal life.  The  banks  on  either  hand  were  flat, 


48  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

and  so  low  that  a  continuous  east  wind  often 
brought  an  overflow  of  the  shores  for  leagues 
inland.  Here  and  there  the  bamboo  or  adobe 
hut  of  a  native  peeped  from  the  rank  foliage, 
and  the  naked  or  half-dressed  occupants 
stared  stupidly  at  the  craft  as  it  skimmed 
past.  The  head  of  the  family  lolled  on  the 
bank,  or  in  the  shade  beside  his  home  and 
smoked;  the  stolid  wife  slouched  hither  and 
thither  like  an  automaton,  plodding  at  her 
work  or  perhaps  scratching  the  ground,  that 
it  might  laugh  a  harvest,  though  oftener  her 
work  lay  in  fighting  off  the  prodigious  growth 
which  threatened  to  strangle  everybody  and 
everything.  She  took  her  turn  at  smoking, 
while  the  youngsters,  most  of  them  without  a 
thread  of  clothing,  frolicked  and  tumbled  in 
the  simple  delight  of  existence.  But  all  these 
were  such  common  sights  to  the  voyageurs 
that  they  gave  them  no  more  than  passing  at- 
tention. 

Captain  Guzman  was  not  a  talkative  man. 
He  preferred  to  lounge,  to  smoke,  to  fight, 
or  to  think.  Major  Starland  had  plenty  of 
thinking  to  do  and  little  work.  Having 
guided  the  craft  out  into  the  middle  of  the 
stream,  he  rested  the  tiller  between  Ms  elbow 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.  49 

and  side  and  held  the  boat  to  its  course,  while 
he  also  lazily  puffed  at  his  cigar.  He  glanced 
from  side  to  side,  like  one  who  was  familiar 
with  the  scenery  and  he  figured  out  that  if  the 
breeze  held,  they  would  reach  Atlamalco 
early  on  the  morrow,  for  he  did  not  mean  to 
continue  the  voyage  after  darkness  had  set  in. 

No  one,  however,  can  sail  for  a  mile  over 
the  tropical  waters  of  South  America  with- 
out a  striking  experience  with  its  myriad  ani- 
mal life.  The  swarms  of  fish  often  clog  the 
progress  of  vessels.  Numerous  tiny  thumps 
against  the  prow  of  the  boat  told  of  the  minia- 
ture collisions,  and,  looking  over  Ihe  side, 
the  American  saw  more  fish  than  water. 
They  varied  in  length  from  a  few  inches  to  a 
couple  of  feet  or  more.  Recognizing  one  vi- 
cious species,  he  caught  up  a  pole  and  thrust 
an  end  into  the  current.  Instantly  fierce 
snaps  followed,  and  when  he  drew  out  the 
dripping  stick,  its  extremity  was  gouged  as 
if  with  dagger  stabs. 

"What  little  demons  those  caribs  are!"  he 
said,  holding  up  the  pole  for  the  Captain  to 
see.  The  native  nodded  his  head  and  silently 
smoked  on.  Had  either  of  them  trailed  his 
hand  in  the  current  alongside  the  boat,  a 


FP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

finger  would  have  been  nipped  off  in  a  flash 
by  those  concentrated  sharks. 

There  was  a  rush  like  that  of  the  Atlamal- 
can  tugboat  and  an  immense  alligator  surged 
ap  from  the  mnddy  depths,  and  kept  pace 
with  the  craft  as  though  tied  to  it.  His  pig- 
gish eyes  surveyed  the  two  men  as  if  medi- 
tating the  crashing  of  the  boat  and  its  occu- 
pants in  one  terrific  crunch,  like  the  hippo- 
potamus of  the  Nile.  He  partly  opened  and 
,-niacked.  his  jaws,  in  anticipation,  and  slightly 
increasing  his  speed,  passed  forward  to  the 
prow. 

Finally  Captain  Guzman  showed  an  inter- 
est in  matters.  Sitting  up,  he  drew  his  re- 
volver from  the  belt  around  his  waist,  aimed 
quickly  and  fired.  The  bullet  darted  into  the 
nearer  eye  and  ripped  through  what  little 
brain  the  saurian  possessed.  With  a  snort,  it 
whirled,  darted  several  rods  out  into  the 
stream,  and  then  spun  round  and  round,  as  if 
caught  in  the  vortex  of  a  whirlpool.  Slight 
in  one  sense  as  was  the  wound,  it  was  mortal 
and  quickly  drew  the  attention  of  other  alli- 
gators, who  seemed  to  be  projected  upward 
from  the  ooze  of  the  river,  and  assailed  their 
unfortunate  comrade  with  remorseless  feroc- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  51 

ity.  In  a  twinkling  he  was  torn  piecemeal  by 
the  cannibals,  whose  taste  of  blood  set  aflame 
their  rapacity.  Had  they  known  enongh  they 
might  have  smashed  the  boat  with  their  tails 
oy  rolled  it  over  with  their  snonts;  but,  un- 
aware of  their  own  strength,  they  kept  up 
their  wild  darting  to  and  fro  and  were  soon 
left  behind 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TJHE  Captain  resumed  his  lolling  pos- 
I  ture,  placed  another  cartridge  in  his 
revolver  and  lit  a  fresh  cigarette. 
By  and  by  his  eyes  closed  and  Major 
3tarland  saw  that  he  slept.  The  American 
arose  to  his  feet,  yawned  and  stretched  his 
arms  over  his  head,  holding  the  tiller  in  place 
between  his  knees. 

"Unless  I  am  alert  I  shall  fall  asleep  too, 
and  then  the  mischief  will  be  to  pay.  It  isn't 
prudent  to  disturb  these  creatures,  but  to  hold 
a  position  of  armed  neutrality.  If  the  fools 
don't  know  their  power,  it  isn't  wise  to  set 
them  investigating." 

To  the  right  on  the  mainland,  the  low  flat 
plain  extended  to  the  limit  of  vision.  The 
tall,  reedy  grass  came  down  to  the  edge  of  the 
water,  and  the  nodding  plumes  showed  for 
some  distance  out  in  the  stream.  Several 
miles  in  advance,  on  the  same  shore,  the  dark 
green  mass  of  a  forest  buffeted  against  the 
52 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  53 

soft  sky,  the  species  of  trees  being  innumer- 
able and  so  closely  wedged  in  many  places, 
that  not  even  the  attenuated  Captain  Guzman 
could  have  forced  his  way  through  except  by 
scrambling  from  limb  to  limb. 

The  southern  bank  was  similar,  but  far  to 
the  westward,  the  rugged  outline  of  the  Bubio 
Mountains  rose  in  the  sky  and  wore  the  soft 
blue  tint  of  the  sea  of  clear  atmosphere.  Be- 
yond the  mountains,  snuggled  the  Republic  of 
Atlamalco  which  was  the  destination  of  the 
American. 

On  the  northern  bank,  two-score  wild  cattle 
that  had  been  browsing  on  the  succulent  grass, 
loafed  down  to  the  river  and  waded  out  till 
the  current  bathed  their  sides.  They  sought 
the  water  for  its  coolness  at  this  oppressive 
period  of  the  day  and  to  escape  the  billions  of 
insect  pests  that  at  times  make  life  a  torment. 
Their  tails,  whose  bushy  tips  flirted  the  water 
in  showers  over  their  heads  and  backs,  were 
never  idle.  Some  of  them  kept  edging  out- 
ward until  no  more  than  their  spines,  horns, 
ears,  and  the  upper  part  of  their  heads  re- 
mained in  sight. 

The  leader  of  the  herd  was  a  magnificent 
black  bull,  who  stood  on  the  bank  and  bel- 


54  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

lowed  at  the  boat  sailing  past,  as  if  challeng- 
ing it  to  a  fight  to  the  finish.  He  was  afraid 
of  nothing  on  earth  and  revelled  in  a  battle 
which  would  allow  him  to  display  his  tre^ 
mendous  prowess,  power  and  wratK 

Seeing  that  the  boat  paid  no  he. id  to  his 
thunderous  challenge,  the  bull  galloped  side- 
ways and  backward  to  shore,  and  trotted 
along  its  bank,  looking  at  the  craft,  thrusting 
out  his  snout  and  calling  for  it  to  come  ashore 
and  have- it  out  with  him.  Major  Starland 
picked  up  his  Krag-Jorgensen  from  where  it 
leaned  beside  his  feet  and  sighted  at  the  bull, 
into  whose  bellowing  there  seemed  to  intrude 
a  regretful  note  over  the  ignoring  of  his  chal- 
lenge. 

"It's  a  pretty  good  distance,  but  I  can  drop 
you  so  quickly  you  would  never  know  what 
did  it,  and,  being  that  you  wouldn't  know, 
where's  the  satisfaction  to  either  of  us?  I'll 
be  hanged  if  I  uncrown  such  a  noble  monarch 
in  that  pot  fashion!" 

The  weapon  was  laid  down  and  the  Major 
resumed  his  seat  and  care  of  the  tiller.  At 
this  time  the  bull  was  standing  on  a  slight  rise 
of  ground,  just  clear  of  the  water  with  Major 
Starland  contemplating  the  superb  fellow. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  it, 

Something  dark  and  sinuous  suddenly  darted 
out  like  a  black  streak  of  lightning  from  the 
mud  just  in  front  of  the  animal  and  the  cry 
of  the  bull  changed  to  one  of  frenzy.  He  was 
scared  at  last. 

Still  bellowing,  he  planted  his  four  hoofs 
rigidly  in  the  mud,  and  leaned  so  far  back- 
ward that  his  legs  were  inclined  at  a  sharp 
angle.  His  feet  sank  slowly  and  he  yielded  a 
short,  reluctant  step.  Then  he  paused  and 
putting  forth  his  great  strength  gradually 
moved  the  hoofs,  one  after  the  other,  back- 
ward. He  strove  mightily  to  continue  his  re- 
treat, but  the  uplifted  fore  foot  was  instantly 
jammed  down  again,  and  the  utmost  he  could 
do  was  to  hold  his  own. 

The  black  thing  which  had  flashed  out  from 
the  mud  a  few  paces  away  was  the  head  of  a 
gigantic  anaconda  that  had  hidden  itself  in 
the  slime  and  was  waiting  for  cow  or  bull  to 
come  within  reach.  The  instant  the  king  of 
the  herd  did  so,  the  head  shot  from  its  con- 
cealment and  the  teeth  were  snapped  together 
m  the  cartilage  of  the  animal's  nose.  Then 
the  serpent  began  drawing  its  victim  forward 
with  terrific  power.  The  bull  knew  his  peril 
and  resisted  to  the  last  ounce  of  his  strength. 


56  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

But  the  reptile  was  a  fool.  Had  it  volun- 
tarily freed  itself,  or  allowed  the  bull  to  get 
clear  of  the  enveloping  mushy  earth,  it  could 
have  whirled  its  entire  length  around  the 
quadruped  and  mashed  it  to  pulp.  But  the 
Atlamalcan  tugboat,  if  tied  by  a  hawser  to  the 
reptile  could  not  have  drawn  it  forth,  for  it 
will  allow  itself  to  be  pulled  asunder  before 
yielding.  Nor  can  any  conceivable  power  in- 
duce the  serpent  to  let  go,  its  unshakable  re- 
solve being  to  draw  its  prey  within  its  folds, 
instead  of  meeting  its  victim. 

It  was  a  veritable  tug  of  war,  and  the  sym- 
pathies of  Major  Starland  were  wholly  on  the 
side  of  the  bull.  Slipping  a  bit  of  rope  over 
the  tiller  to  hold  it  in  place,  he  knelt  on  one 
knee  and  sighted  with  the  utmost  care.  The 
six  or  eight  feet  of  the  reptile  which  was  clear 
of  the  mud  had  been  stretched  to  nearly 
double  its  natural  length  by  the  furious  pull- 
ing of  the  bull,  and  was  as  tense  as  a  violin 
string  and  so  attenuated  as  to  be  hardly  one- 
half  its  ordinary  diameter.  The  American 
aimed  at  a  point  just  back  of  the  head  and  the 
bullet  sped  true.  Perhaps,  as  is  sometimes 
the  case,  the  serpent's  body  would  have  yield- 
ed in  the  end,  but  the  missile  expedited  mat- 


ADVENTURES   IX  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

ters.  It  snapped  apart,  the  bull  with  another 
bellow  whirled  about  and  galloped  up  the 
bank  and  away,  with  the  appendage  dangling 
and  flapping  from  his  nose,  there  to  hang  until 
it  sloughed  off. 

The  report  of  the  rifle  awakened  Captain 
Guzman,  who  sat  up,  but  did  not  understand 
all  that  had  taken  place  until  it  was  explained 
to  him.  Then  the  two  partook  of  the  lunch 
they  had  brought  with  them.  "When  the  brief 
twilight  closed  over  forest  and  stream,  they 
had  passed  three-fourths  of  the  distance  be- 
tween the  respective  capitals  of  the  republics. 
Xight  had  fully  come,  however,  before  the  boat 
was  sheered  toward  the  mainland,  and  draw- 
ing it  up  the  bank  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
current,  the  two  stepped  out  and  walked  a 
short  way  to  a  hut  that  had  caught  their  notice 
some  time  before. 

Here,  strange  to  say,  the  native  man  and 
wife  had  only  two  children,  both  boys,  six  or 
eight  years  of  age,  naked  and  not  ashamed. 
Captain  Guzman,  who  spoke  Spanish  as  well 
as  the  American,  explained  that  they  desired 
food  and  lodging  for  the  night.  The  husband 
told  them  they  were  welcome,  while  the  slat- 
ternly helpmate  said  nothing,  but  did  her  part 


UP  THE  FORKED  RIYER. 

with  commendable  diligence.  No  fire  was 
burning,  nor  was  one  started,  though  the  cin- 
ders on  the  outside  showed  that  food  was 
sometimes  cooked  after  the  manner  of  civil- 
ized peoples.  No  table,  chairs  or  furniture 
were  seen,  while  the  floor  was  of  smooth,  hard 
earth.  A  large,  earthen  bowl  was  nearly 
filled  with  a  mixture  of  tomatoes,  onions, 
olives  and  several  kinds  of  fruit  chopped  to- 
gether. This  was  set  outside  on  the  ground, 
between  the  two  guests,  who  ate  and  were 
filled. 


CHAPTER  VH. 

TJHROUGH  the  hot  pulsing  of  the 
I  tropical  midnight,  with  its  myriad 
throbbings  of  animal  life,  came  the 
sound  of  husky  coughing,  steadily 
growing  more  distinct,  until  the  two  men  seat- 
ed on  the  outside  of  the  native  hut,  on  a  fallen 
tree,  smoking  and  listening,  identified  it  as  the 
voice  of  the  Atlamalcan  tugboat,  named  for 
its  owner,  General  Yozarro.  In  the  vivid 
moonlight,  a  dim  mass  assumed  form  up  the 
river,  the  sparks  tumbling  from  its  small 
smokestack  helping  to  locate  the  craft,  which 
constituted  the  navy  of  the  little  Tabascan  re- 
public. The  puffing  grew  louder,  the  throb- 
bing of  the  screw,  and  the  rush  of  the  foamy 
water  from  the  bow  struck  the  ear  more  clear- 
ly, and  the  outlines  of  the  craft  were  marked 
a-  it  rushed  past,  near  the  middle  of  the  river, 
with  the  starred,  triangular  flag  of  Atlamalco 
wiggling  from  the  staff  which  upreared  itself 
like  a  needle  from  the  stern. 

59 


60  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

In  the  flood  of  illumination  every  part  of 
the  vessel  was  plainly  seen:  the  wheelhouse 
and  even  the  outlines  of  the  captain  at  the 
wheel,  the  upper  deck,  the  gleam  of  the  one 
cannon  at  the  front  near  the  pile  of  wood,  and 
the  other  at  the  rear,  as  well  as  the  forms  of 
several  men  in  sombreros  lounging  here  and 
there,  as  if  playing  the  part  of  sentinels., 
though  there  was  no  earthly  call  for  any 
service  of  that  nature. 

So  distinct  was  everything,  that  Major 
Starland  saw  the  Captain  reach  upward, 
grasp  a  cord  and  pull  down.  The  hoarse  throb 
of  the  steam  whistle  awoke  the  echoes  along 
shore  and  as  it  rolled  through  the  forests  and 
jungles  caused  hundreds  of  denizens  of  the 
solitude  to  wonder  what  sort  of  new  beast  was 
coming  among  them. 

Gradually  the  boat  grew  hazy  and  indis- 
tinct, but  the  throbbing  of  the  engine  and  the 
soft  wash  of  the  current  lingered  long  after 
the  craft  itself  had  faded  from  view. 

"It  may  be  that  President  Yozarro  is  afraid 
President  Bambos  will  forget  he  has  a  navy, ' ' 
suggested  the  American. 

"He  does  not  mean  to  attack  him,  I  am 
sure." 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  Cl 

"He  has  no  cause  for  doing  so,  which  is 
generally  the  reason  why  these  wasps  sting 
their  neighbors.  If  they  waited  for  a  just 
cause  there  would  be  eternal  peace.  Ah,  my 
yacht  is  not  due  for  several  days!  I  would 
it  were  here." 

' ' What  would  you  do,  Major?" 

'  *  Declare  on  the  side  of  General  Bambos ;  I 
shouldn't  ask  better  sport  than  to  blow  that 
crab  out  of  the  water.'* 

"Is  General  Bambos  a  better  friend  of 
yours,  Major,  than  General  Yozarro?" 

"I  count  neither  as  a  friend,  but  Yozarro 
has  my  sister  as  his  guest,  though  she  has 
overstayed  her  time.  I  may  be  wrong,  but  I 
am  not  convinced  that  she  is  a  willing  vis- 
itor." 

"He  holds  also  the  gunboat  that  we  saw 
pass  but  a  short  time  ago. ' ' 

"And  I  have  a  yacht  with  a  single  gun; 
with  that  my  crew  would  make  as  short  work 
of  the  General  Yozarro  as  we  did  with  the 
Spanish  fleets  at  Manila  and  Santiago." 

Captain  Guzman  shrugged  his  shoulders 
and  smoked  in  silence. 

"My  boat  will  be  here  in  two  or  three  days. 


62  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Then  I  shall  ask  no  help  from  Bambos  or  any 
one  else  in  this  part  of  the  world." 

"Why  not  wait,  Major?  Who  knows  that 
if  yonr  sister  is  restored  to  you  through  the 
help  of  General  Bambos,  you  may  not  have 
to  ask  General  Yozarro  to  help  you  make  him 
give  her  up?" 

It  was  a  contingency  of  which  Major  Star- 
land  had  not  thought.  Prudence  told  him  to 
be  patient  till  the  coming  of  the  Warrenia, 
with  her  crew  of  a  dozen  men,  beside  the  cap- 
tain. Three  of  the  crew  had  fought  against 
Spain  and  would  welcome  a  scrap  with  the 
Atlamalcan  navy. 

But  the  American  was  restless.  He  carried 
a  pretext  for  calling  upon  General  Yozarro, 
and  his  anxiety  would  not  allow  him  to  remain 
quiescent.  That  night  as  he  slept  in  the  ham- 
mock which  he  had  brought  from  his  boat  and 
swung  in  front  of  the  native  hut,  he  heard  as 
in  a  dream,  the  puffing  of  the  tug  on  its  return 
to  Atlamalco.  He  did  not  rouse  himself  to 
look  at  her,  as  she  glided  past  in  the  moon- 
light, but  it  was  a  great  relief  to  know  that 
she  had  gone  back.  President  Yozarro  was 
so  proud  of  his  navy  that  most  of  the  voyages 
up  and  down  the  Rio  Rubio  were  taken  for  his 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  63 

personal  pleasure.  He  would  be  at  home, 
therefore,  on  the  morrow  when  his  American 
visitor  presented  himself. 

And  such  was  the  case.  The  forenoon  was 
no  more  than  half  gone,  when  the  small  sail- 
ing craft  rounded  to  at  the  wharf  in  front 
of  the  native  town,  and  Major  Starland 
leaped  ashore.  It  was  agreed  that  Captain 
Guzman  should  await  his  return  to  the  pier. 
The  alert  American  noted  everything.  The 
tug  seemed  to  be  crouching  beside  the  wharf, 
a  hundred  feet  distant,  like  a  bull  dog  waiting 
for  some  one  to  venture  nigh  enough  for  him 
to  leap  forward  and  bury  his  fangs  in  his 
throat.  But  no  steam  was  up,  and  the  war 
craft,  like  everything  else,  was  adrowse  and 
sleeping. 

The  city  of  Atlamalco  sprawled  over  half  a 
square  mile,  the  most  ancient  dwellings  being 
made  of  adobe,  squat  of  form  and  with  only  a 
single  story.  The  more  pretentious  were  of  a 
species  of  bamboo,  of  large  proportions,  and, 
although  divided  into  a  number  of  apart 
ments,  they  too  consisted  of  but  a  single  story, 
like  most  houses  in  an  earthquake  country. 
They  were  of  flimsy  make,  for  the  climate  was 
generally  oppressive,  and  the  narrow  streets 


64  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

were  fitted  only  for  the  passage  of  footmen 
and  animals  with  their  burdens.  The 
swarthy,  nntidy  inhabitants  are  among  the 
laziest  on  earth,  for,  where  nature  is  so  lavish, 
the  necessity  for  laborious  toil  is  wanting. 
The  avenues  leading  to  the  wharf  slope  gently 
upward,  winding  in  and  out,  and  mingling  in 
seemingly  inextricable  confusion. 

Pen  cannot  describe  the  vegetable  exuber- 
ance of  this  portion  of  South  America.  Su- 
gar, coffee,  cocoa,  rice,  tobacco,  maize,  wheat, 
ginger,  rnandioc,  yams,  sarsaparilla,  and 
tropical  fruits  beyond  enumeration  smother 
one  another  in  the  fierce  fight  for  life.  The 
chief  dependence  of  the  people  is  upon  man- 
dioc,  manioc,  or  cassava,  which  the  natives 
accept  as  a  direct  gift  from  the  prophet  Sune. 
This,  however,  is  not  the  place  to  dwell  upon 
the  endless  variety  of  trees  and  the  fauna  and 
flora  of  that  extraordinary  country. 

Major  Starland  left  his  rifle  in  charge  of 
Captain  Guzman,  and,  with  his  revolver  at 
command,  strolled  up  the  main  street.  The 
hottest  part  of  the  day  being  near,  few  of  the 
people  were  astir  or  visible.  Most  of  them 
were  asleep  within  doors,  their  siesta  begin- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.  C5 

ning  before  the  mid-day  meal  and  lasting  long 
afterward. 

A  single  pony  came  stumbling  forward  at 
the  first  turn  of  the  street,  so  heaped  over  with 
bundles  that  little  more  than  his  head,  ears 
and  front  legs  below  the  knees  were  in  sight. 
His  driver,  swarthy,  long-haired,  and  in  som- 
brero, slouched  at  the  side  of  the  animal, 
whacking  his  haunches  now  and  then,  swear- 
ing at  him  in  mongrel  Spanish,  to  both  of 
which  the  brute  paid  no  more  heed  than  to  the 
tiny  flies  that  nipped  in  vain  at  his  armor-like 
hide. 


CHAPTER 

FEW  paces  after  the  second  turn 
brought  the  American  to  the  palace 
of  President  Yozarror— a  long,  low, 
bamboo  structure,  standing  on  slight- 
ly rising  ground,  where  it  could  catch  what 
little  air  sometimes  caressed  the  town  at  this 
time  of  day.  The  largest  apartment  at  the 
rear  was  the  cabinet  or  council  room  of  the 
Dictator  and  President,  since  the  open  win- 
dows on  that  side  were  sure  to  receive  the  cool 
breath  of  the  mountains  when  it  stole  through 
the  open  windows. 

The  American  officer  was  fortunate  in  the 
time  of  his  call.  In  the  long  hall  he  met  two 
men  in  uniform,  well  advanced  in  years  and 
stooping  in  an  unmilitary  way,  whom  he  rec- 
ognized as  the  leading  officers  and  counsellors 
of  President  Tozarro.  It  was  manifest  that 
they  had  been  holding  a  conference.  The 
Major  saluted  them  as  he  passed  down  the 
hall  to  where  a  guard  stood  outside  the  door, 
musket  in  hand. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  67 

1 '  Will  you  say  to  Ms  Excellency  that  Major 
Starland  desires  to  speak  with  him?"  asked 
our  friend  in  excellent  Spanish.  The  Major 
did  not  send  in  his  card,  for,  truth  to  tell,  he 
had  none  printed  in  the  language  of  the  coun- 
try, and  he  knew  the  other  possessed  no  knowl- 
edge of  English. 

The  guard  tapped  on  the  door  and  disap- 
peared for  a  minute.  When  he  came  back,  he 
held  the  door  open  and  nodded  to  the  visitor. 
Major  Starland,  hat  in  hand,  passed  within 
with  brisk,  military  step,  saluted  and  awaited 
the  pleasure  of  the  President  of  the  Atlamal- 
can  Republic. 

The  latter  was  seated  behind  a  large  desk  at 
the  farther  side  of  the  room,  smoking  a  cig- 
arette and  facing  the  visitor.  He  was  of 
short  stature  and  lacked  the  protuberant  ro- 
tundity of  President  Bambos.  Like  him  his 
mustache  was  of  glossy  blackness  and  was 
waxed  to  needle-like  points,  but  the  hair  of 
General  Yozarro  was  cropped  and  there  was  a 
white  sprinkling  about  the  temples  and  behind 
the  ears.  This,  with  the  crows'  feet  and 
wrinkles,  showed  that  he  was  fully  ten  years 
the  senior  of  his  brother  President.  He  was  in 
European  dress,  his  coat,  waistcoat  and  trou- 


68  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

sers  being  of  spotless  white  duck,  his  linen  ir- 
reproachable, his  feet  inclosed  in  patent  leath- 
ers, and  a  diamond  of  eight  or  ten  carats  scin- 
tillated in  his  snowy  shirt  front.  He  had  been 
heard  to  boast  that  this  remarkable  gem  had 
been  taken  from  the  mountains  of  his  own 
province. 

The  moment  his  glittering  black  eyes  rested 
upon  the  trim  figure  of  the  American  he  rose 
and  gracefully  waved  him  to  a  seat  on  his 
right.  Thanking  him  for  his  courtesy,  Major 
Starland  walked  briskly  thither,  sat  down, 
crossed  his  legs,  cleared  his  throat  and  ex- 
pressed his  pleasure  at  seeing  his  distin- 
guished friend  looking  so  well.  President 
Yozarro  returned  the  compliment  in  the  flow- 
ery language  of  his  country,  and  asked  the 
caller  to  do  him  the  great  honor  of  telling  him 
in  what  way  he  could  serve  him.  He  assured 
him  that  it  would  be  the  joy  of  his  heart,  if  his 
humble  aid  would  be  accepted  by  one  whom  he 
held  in  such  warm  friendship  and  lofty 
esteem. 

"While  thus  overwhelming  his  caller,  Presi- 
dent Yozarro  snatched  up  his  cigarette  box 
from  his  desk  and  held  it  out  to  the  American, 
who  accepted  the  courtesy  with  thanks,  lighted 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  G9 

the  wisp  of  fragrant  tobacco  to  which,  as  we 
know,  he  was  unaccustomed,  and  sat  back  at 
ease. 

"Your  Excellency,  I  come  from  President 
Bambos." 

"I  am  delighted  to  welcome  you,  and  how  is 
iny  esteemed  brother?" 

"Never  better;  when  he  told  me  of  a  slight 
misunderstanding,  I  volunteered  to  lay  the 
matter  before  you,  knowing  how  willing  you 
would  be  to  listen  patiently,  and  aware  too  of 
your  deep  sense  of  justice." 

"You  do  me  honor,  my  good  friend,"  re- 
plied President  Yozarro,  bowing  and  smiling 
so  broadly  that  his  white  teeth  gleamed 
through  his  mustache.  "I  am  eager  as  al- 
ways to  right  any  wrong  and  to  correct  any 
misunderstanding. ' ' 

1 '  Three  days  ago  when  your  excellent  gun- 
boat was  at  target  practice,  on  the  Rio  Bubio, 
one  of  the  shots  injured  the  dwelling  of  a  cit- 
izen of  Zalapata." 

"It  grieves  me  to  learn  that,"  replied  the 
President,  as  if  the  episode  was  wholly  new  to 
him ;  "I  am  impatient  to  do  what  I  can  to  re- 
pair the  carelessness  of  my  gunner:  will  it 


70  Ur  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

please  you  to  have  him  shot,  as  a  warning  to 
others  to  be  more  careful?'* 

"By  no  means;  the  payment  of  the  slight 
sum— only  forty-two  pesos— with  an  expres- 
sion of  regret,  will  more  than  satisfy  Presi- 
dent Bambos." 

"I  shall  hasten  to  comply  with  so  moderate 
and  just  a  demand :  will  you  be  good  enough 
to  convey  this  statement  to  my  esteemed 
brother?" 

Considering  the  moderate  sum  involved,  it 
would  seem  that  President  Yozarro  might 
well  have  closed  the  incident  by  passing  over 
the  amount  to  the  ambassador,  but,  since  he 
made  no  offer  to  do  so,  the  ambassador  could 
not  in  common  courtesy  remind  him  of  it. 
The  Atlamalcan  Republic  had  its  own  meth- 
ods and  red  tape  ruled  there  as  elsewhere. 

"I  am  sure  that  President  Bambos  could 
ask  nothing  more,  and  I  shall  take  pleasure  in 
repeating  your  gracious  words  to  him." 

President  Tozarro  bowed,  smiled,  muttered 
' '  Gracias, ' '  and  lit  another  cigarette. 

"I  beg  your  Excellency  that  I  may  have  the 
privilege  of  a  few  words  with  my  sister,  Miss 
Starland,  who  came  ashore  from  my  yacht 
last  week  to  visit  her  friend  Senorita  Esta- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA.  T 

cardo,  and  whom  it  has  not  been  my  pleasure 
to  see  since  then." 

"My  good  friend  makes  another  request 
which  it  shall  be  my  delight  to  grant, ' '  replied 
President  Yozarro,  with  his  bland  smile,  as 
he  crossed  his  shapely  legs,  leaned  back  and 
blew  the  puffs  of  his  cigarette  toward  the 
ceiling. 

Major  Starland  felt  that  he  was  getting  on 
swimmingly.  He  had  already  decided  to 
hand  over  to  President  Bambos  the  amount 
of  the  damages  for  the  injury  to  the  property 
of  one  of  his  citizens,  quite  content  to  place  it 
to  his  personal  account  of  profit  and  loss. 
Uneasy  over  the  prolonged  absence  of  Miss 
Starland,  he  would  quickly  arrange  matters 
with  her  during  the  impending  interview. 

' '  I  have  a  pleasant  surprise  for  you, '  *  said 
the  President,  after  his  caller  had  expressed 
his  acknowledgments;  "the  Senorita  made 
known  so  warm  a  wish  to  see  her  brother  that 
I  hastened  to  take  her,  as  she  and  I  supposed, 
to  him." 

"I  do  not  understand  your  Excellency." 

' '  She  is  now  at  Zalapata,  whither  she  went 
in  our  gunboat." 

"When?" 


72  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Last  night;  we  must  have  met  on  the  way, 
for  yon  conld  scarcely  have  made  the  voyage 
between  the  capitals  since  sunrise." 

This  remark  explained  that  night  trip  of 
the  General  Yozarro,  whose  going  the  Major 
had  seen  and  whose  returning  he  had  heard. 

"Yes,"  added  his  host;  "she  had  but  to 
make  known  her  wish,  when  she  and  her 
friend  Senorita  Manuela,  my  niece,  became 
my  guests  on  my  gunboat,  and  were  landed  at 
Zalapata  last  evening,  where  she  will  be  dis- 
appointed to  find  you  absent,  though  your 
meeting  will  be  deferred  but  a  short  time." 

With  many  acknowledgments,  Major  Star- 
land  bade  President  Yozarro  good  bye,  passed 
out  into  the  hall  and  hurried  down  the  street 
to  the  wharf,  where  Captain  Guzman  was 
placidly  awaiting  him.  The  same  drowsiness 
that  he  had  noted  on  his  arrival,  brooded  over 
everything,  and  no  time  was  lost  in  casting  off 
and  heading  down  the  river. 

But  during  the  absence  of  the  American, 
the  Captain  had  had  a  visitor,  who  did  not 
step  ashore,  but  helped  in  getting  the  boat 
under  way,  and  showed  by  his  action,  that  he 
meant  to  remain  with  them,  if  they  did  not 
object  thereto. 


APVI.VI;  MERICA.         73 

"Who  is  he?"  asked  Starland,  at  the  first 
opportunity  to  speak  privately  to  his  friend. 

"Martella,  a  deserter  from  President  Yo- 
xarre." 

" That  won't  do,  Captain;  I  cannot  permit 
him  to  go  with  us." 

"Not  so,  Major;  he  is  more  valuable  than 
you  think;  he  will  tell  you  something  you 
ought  to  know." 


CHAPTEE IX. 

TIQJK  little  craft  was  fairly  under  way, 
I  and  with  favoring  wind  and  current, 
ought  to  reach  Zalapata  in  the  course 
of  ten  or  twelve  hours.  Martella,  the 
new  recruit,  so  to  speak,  seeing  there  was  noth- 
ing just  then  for  him  to  do,  sat  down  at  the 
bow  of  the  boat  and  smoked  his  cigarette, 
while  Captain  Guzman  kept  company  with 
Major  Starland  at  the  stern. 

"Two  years  ago,  when  there  was  war  be- 
tween Atlamalco  and  Zalapata,"  explained 
the  native  officer,  "we  captured  a  party  of 
raiders  in  the  mountains  and  shot  them  all  ex- 
cepting one.  He  was  Martella,  who,  being 
wounded,  was  saved  at  my  prayer.  Since 
then  we  have  been  friends." 

"He  ought  to  be  your  life  friend  if  there  is 
any  such  thing  as  gratitude  in  his  nature." 

"I  have  been  to  see  him  and  he  comes  to  see 
me.  Martella  is  one  who  speaks  the  truth." 

' '  I  was  not  aware  that— barring  yourself— 

74 


ADVENTURES    IX    SOUTH   AMERICA.  75 

there  was  any  man  in  this  part  of  the  world 
who  had  that  virtue." 

"What  did  President  Yozarro  tell  you!" 
asked  the  Captain  so  bluntly  that  the  Ameri- 
can resented  it. 

"You  have  no  warrant  for  asking  that 
question. ' ' 

"Pardon  me,  Major;  I  do  not  ask  to  know 
what  he  said  about  the  claim  of  President 
Barnbos,  for  I  already  know  that." 

"You  do !    Well,  what  was  it?" 

"He  said  he  would  pay  the  amount  of  the 
claim  and  asked  you  to  tell  President  Bambos 
he  is  very  sorry." 

' '  You  are  right ;  that  is  what  he  said. ' ' 

"But  he  did  not  pay  you  the  money;  and, 
begging  pardon  again,  Major,  you  intended  to 
pay  it  yourself  to  President  Bambos,  as  if  it 
came  from  General  Yozarro." 

"You  would  be  called  a  mind  reader,  Cap- 
tain, in  my  country,  for  you  are  right  in 
everything  you  say.  It  will  spoil  his  game, 
however,  if  General  Bambos  is  as  keen  as 
you." 

"  If  he  is,  he  will  not  let  you  discover  it ;  he 
is  determined  to  go  to  war  against  General 


76  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Yozarro,  and  no  matter  what  you  do,  you  can- 
not prevent  it,  unless— 

11  Unless  what?" 

"You  take  away  the  cause  of  his  making 
war." 

"The  cause!    You  speak  in  riddles." 

Instead  of  directly  replying,  the  Captain 
asked  the  startling  question: 

"You  inquired  of  General  Yozarro  about 
the  Senorita,  your  sister :  what  answer  did  he 
make  to  you?" 

"You  have  not  forgotten  the  tugboat  we 
saw  pass  down  the  river  last  night;  I  heard 
it  returning  to  Atlamalco." 

"So  also  did  I." 

"On  its  first  voyage,  it  carried  my  sister  as 
one  of  the  passengers,  she  not  knowing  I  had 
left  Zalapata,  and  she  is  there  awaiting  my 
coming. '  ' 

Captain  Guzman,  sitting  at  the  elbow  of  the 
American,  gazed  off  toward  the  wooded  plain 
as  if  in  reverie.  His  words  did  not  seem  to 
be  addressed  to  any  one,  but  were  as  if  he 
communed  with  himself : 

"Five  hours  after  the  gunboat  went  up  the 
river,  it  passed  where  we  were  resting  on  its 
way  back  to  Atlamalco.  The  distance  from 


ADVENTURES   IX  SOUTH  AMERICA.  77 

where  we  were  to  Zalapata  is  eighty  miles  and 
to  make  the  trip  the  boat  would  need  eight  or 
ten  hours." 

"What  the  mischief  are  you  driving  at? 
General  Yozarro  told  me  he  took  the  lady 
thither." 

Captain  Guzman  withdrew  his  gaze  from 
the  shore,  and  looking  calmly  in  the  face  of 
Major  Starland,  said : 

' '  General  Yozarro  lied. ' ' 

"How  can  you  know  that?" 

"Do  you  not  see  that  the  gunhoat  could  not 
do  what  he  said  it  did!  But  Martella  here 
was  on  the  boat  and  knows  all." 

"Call  him,  that  I  may  question  him." 

"No  need  of  that;  I  have  questioned  him;  I 
know  that  your  real  business  with  General 
Yozarro  was  to  meet  the  Senorita,  your  sister, 
and  I  know  all  that  Martella  knows." 

"Arid  what  is  that?" 

"Senoritas  Starland  and  Estacardo  were 
passengers  on  the  boat,  but  ten  miles  down 
the  river  they  went  ashore,  and,  under  the  es- 
cort of  two  soldiers,  set  out  for  the  summer 
home  of  General  Yozarro." 

"Where  is  that?" 

"A  mile  from  the  river  among  the  moun- 


78  TP  THE  FORKED  KIVER. 

tains;  the  air  there  is  cooler  than  at  Aila- 
malco,  and  General  Yozarro  spends  much  of 
the  hot  season  at  Castillo  Descanso,  or  "Cas- 
tle of  Rest."  Senorita  Estacardo  is  his 
niece;  he  is  a  widower;  he  loves  your  sister 
and  he  hopes  by  his  kindness  and  attention  to 
win  her  for  his  wife,  and  to  do  this,  he  sees  he 
must  keep  you  and  her  apart  as  long  as  he 
can." 

"The  infernal  scoundrel!  She  shall  die  be- 
fore wedding  him ! ' ' 

"He  knows  how  you  feel:  that  is  why  he 
strives  to  keep  you  apart." 

"He'll  have  a  good  time  in  doing  it!  Do 
you  know  the  path  that  leads  to  the  summer 
quarters  of  this  precious  dog!" 

"Well  enough  to  guide  you  thither,  but 
Martella  knows  it  better  than  I." 

' '  Can  he  be  hired  to  guide  us  thither  I ' ' 

"No,  for  he  will  do  so  without  pay." 

"I  shall  join  General  Bambos  in  his  war 
against  Yozarro,  and  we'll  make  him  pay  dear 
for  his  deviltrj^. ' ' 

"Do  you  prefer  the  friendship  of  General 
Bambos  to  that  of  General  Yozarro?" 

"I  don't  care  a  picayune  for  either,  but  I 
will  use  one  against  the  other." 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  79 

"  You  forget  that  there  is  no  choice  between 
the  good  will  of  the  two.  When  you  came  up 
the  forked  river  you  first  called  at  Zalapata. ' ' 

"What  of  it!'* 

"  General  Bambos  was  a  guest  on  your 
yacht." 

"Yes." 

"He  met  Senorita  Starland;  he  has  a  wife 
and  several  children,  but  he  loves  the  Senorita 
as  much  as  does  General  Yozarro." 

"What  a  couple  of  wretches!  Do  you  tell 
me  that  that  is  why  he  means  to  go  to  war 
with  General  Yozzaro?" 

"That  is  his  reason;  I  could  not  tell  you  be- 
fore; his  claim  for  damages  is  a  pretext;  he 
hopes  to  defeat  General  Yozarro  and  to  com- 
pel him,  to  give  up  the  Senorita.  Neither  he 
nor  General  Yozarro  cares  for  you,  whom  they 
regard  as  an  obstacle ;  they  will  be  glad  to  put 
you  out  of  the  way. ' ' 


CHAPTER  X. 

LL  this  seemed  incredible  and  yet  a 
little  reflection  convinced  Major 
Starland  that  the  sagacious  native 
was  right.  The  American  had  two 
treacherous  enemies  to  meet  in  the  Dictators 
who  professed  to  be  his  friends. 

* '  I  will  go  back  to  Atlamalco ;  I  will  call  the 
dog  to  account ;  what  will  he  dare  say  for  him- 
self?" 

"I  am  sure,'*  observed  the  soft-voiced  Cap- 
tain, ' '  that  Major  Starland  will  not  be  so  un- 
wise as  that." 

"Why  will  it  be  unwise." 

"General  Yozarro  will  not  see  you  when 
you  return." 

"He  dare  not  refuse!  I  will  bring  up  my 
yacht  and  lay  his  counfounded  town  under 
tribute." 

"He  has  a  gunboat." 

"All  you  folks  refer  to  that  tub  as  a  gun- 
boat, when  it  is  only  an  old  tug,  which  he  has 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.  81 

painted  over  and  fitted  up  witTi  a  couple  of 
six-pounders.  It  is  not  worth  taking  into 
consideration:  I  will  force  myself  into  his 
presence  and  compel  him  to  undo  what  he  has 
done  and  to  beg  my  pardon  on  his  knees. ' ' 

The  Captain  indulged  in  his  expressive 
shrug  and  smoked  in  silence.  He  was  giving 
the  American  a  few  minutes  in  which  to  re- 
gain his  poise.  The  American  did  so. 

"Why  did  Martella  leave  his  sendee!"  he 
abruptly  asked. 

"General  Yozarro  caused  his  brother  to  be 
shot,  because  he  ran  the  gunboat  aground  the 
other  day.  It  was  upon  a  mound  formed  un- 
der water  one  night  by  the  forked  river,  which 
no  one  could  see.  The  boat  was  not  injured, 
but  he  shot  Martella 's  brother,  who  was  the 
pilot.  Martella,  therefore,  hates  him." 

"No  more  than  I  do.  Had  I  known  what 
you  have  told  me  when  talking  with  him  this 
forenoon,  I  should  have  put  a  bullet  through 
his  carcass." 

"There  are  better  ways  than  that;  let  us  go 
to  the  home  of  General  Yozarro  in  the  moun- 
tains and  bring  away  the  Senorita ;  Martella 
will  go  with  us." 


82  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"He  will  be  shot  as  a  deserter  if  taken 
prisoner. " 

4 'He  won't  be  taken  prisoner;  perhaps,  too, 
he  may  gain  the  chance  to  slay  General  Yo- 
zarro;  it  will  delight  his  heart  if  he  can  do 
so." 

"No  more  than  it  will  delight  mine;  talk 
with  him,  Captain ;  if  he  will  help  me  through 
with  this  business,  he  will  never  regret  it." 

Captain  Guzman  made  his  way  past  the  sail 
to  the  bow  where  the  native  was  sitting,  gaz- 
ing thoughtfully  back  over  the  stream  they 
were  leaving  behind  them.  He  turned  his 
head  as  his  friend  approached,  and  the  two 
talked  in  low  tones,  both  seemingly  calm, 
though  each  was  stirred  by  strong  emotion. 
Then  the  Captain  came  back  to  the  American, 
who,  with  his  hand  on  the  tiller,  was  holding 
the  boat  to  her  course.  He  ran  in  quite  close 
to  the  southern  shore  and  was  studying  the 
Eubio  Mountains,  whose  craggy  crests  were 
visible  in  the  sky  throughout  the  whole  voyage 
between  the  capitals  of  the  republics.  He 
was  consumed  with  resentment  that  anyone 
had  dared  to  hold  the  daughter  of  an  Ameri- 
can citizen  a  guest  without  her  consent, — in 
other  words  a  prisoner,  as  if  she  were  a  crim- 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  83 

inal.  Manifestly  there  was  a  "sovereign 
remedy"  for  all  this.  The  great  United 
States  Government  would  not  permit  the  out- 
rage, and  any  wrong  done  to  one  of  its  people 
would  cost  the  miserable  offender  dear. 

But  the  leading  Republic  ot  the  world  lay 
many  leagues  to  the  northward.  It  would 
take  weeks  to  bring  a  naval  vessel  thence,  and 
certainly  a  number  of  days  before  one  could 
come  from  the  nearest  port.  Meanwhile,  the 
hours  were  of  measureless  value.  The  Major 
ground  his  teeth  when  he  thought  he  had  al- 
lowed his  yacht  to  pass  down  the  river  to  San 
Luis,  with  the  understanding  that  she  need 
not  return  for  several  days.  There  was  no 
way,  however,  of  getting  word  to  Captain 
Winton,  who  could  not  suspect  the  urgent  ne- 
cessity for  his  presence  in  this  part  of  the 
land  of  abominations. 

"Martella  will  be  glad  to  go  with  us;  he 
says  we  should  go  ashore  just  this  side  of  the 
point  of  land  ahead." 

"He  doesn't  seem  to  have  any  weapons 
with  him,"  remarked  the  Major,  scrutinizing 
the  fellow,  who  was  looking  at  him  with  a 
curiously  intent  expression. 

"He  could  not  bring  his  musket,  but  he  has 


84  UP  TFF.  FORKED  RIVER. 

a  knife  under  his  coat,  and  none  knows  better 
how  to  use  it." 

"Bring  him  here." 

Guzman  motioned  to  his  friend,  who  rose  to 
his  feet,  touching  a  forefinger  to  the  front  of 
his  sombrero,  and  skilfully  picked  his  course 
along  the  careening  boat. 

"Take  the  tiller  for  a  few  minutes,  Cap- 
tain." 

The  moment  Martella  came  within  reach, 
the  American  extended  his  hand  and  ad- 
dressed him  in  his  native  tongue : 

"The  Captain  says  you  are  ready  to  show 
us  the  way  to  Castillo  Descanso,  where  Seno- 
ritas  Estacardo  and  Starland  are  staying." 

Martella  nodded  his  head  several  times  and 
said  eagerly,  "Si,  si,  si.19 

"Are  you  certain  they  are  there?" 

"  I  am  not,  but  I  think  so. " 

* '  The  deuce !  Captain,  I  thought  you  said  he 
was  certain." 

"So  he  is,— as  certain  as  one  can  be;  he  saw 
them  go  ashore  last  night  and  start  inland  un- 
der the  escort  of  two  soldiers,  and  heard  them 
say  they  were  going  to  Castillo  Descanso; 
isn't  that  true,  Martella!" 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.  85 

"It  is  true,  but  perhaps  they  did  not  arrive 
there." 

"Oh,  hang  it!— that  is  as  near  right  as  one 
can  be.  Show  the  Captain  where  to  direct 
the  boat  and  we'll  soon  set  things  humming.'* 

Martella  pointed  out  the  spot,  and  Guzman, 
who  was  an  expert  navigator,  turned  the  prow 
inward,  while  the  Major  lowered  the  sail,  and 
they  rounded  to  at  a  place  where  all  were  able 
to  leap  ashore  dry  shod.  The  craft  was  care- 
fully made  fast,  and  leaving  what  slight  lug- 
gage they  had  behind,  they  were  ready  to 
press  inland  without  loss  of  time.  T^he  leader 
carried  his  rifle  and  belt  full  of  cartridges  and 
his  revolver;  the  Captain  his  revolver,  while 
the  private  was  armed  only  with  a  long  fright- 
ful knife,  which  he  kept,  so  far  as  possible, 
out  of  sight  under  his  jacket 

Standing  beside  one  another  for  a  minute 
or  two,  the  American  asked  his  guide : 

"Did  General  Yozarro  start  for  this  point 
when  he  left  Atlamalco  in  his  tug?" 

"I  heard  him  say  he  intended  to  take  the 
Senorita  to  Zalapata  to  meet  her  brother,  and 
Senorita  Estacardo  went  along  to  bear  her 
company." 


80  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"That's  what  the  villain  told  me;  did  he 
pass  beyond  this  point?" 

"He  did  so  for  several  miles." 

"What  cause  did  he  give  for  turning 
back?" 

"He  said  war  was  about  to  break  out  be- 
tween the  republics ;  I  heard  that  much,  but  I 
was  one  of  the  firemen  and  could  not  hear  all ; 
he  said  afterward  that  he  discovered  some- 
thing ahead  which  caused  him  to  turn  back  in 
haste." 

"What  was  it?" 

"Nothing,  for  there  was  nothing  to  see." 

"He  planned  it  from  the  first  to  deceive  the 
Seiioritas." 

"You  speak  the  truth,  but  why  should  he 
take  the  pains  to  do  that,  when  he  might  have 
gone  overland  and  made  the  halt  in  the  moun- 
tains?" 

It  was  Captain  Guzman  who  answered : 

"Such  a  journey  would  have  been  long 
and  hard  for  the  Senoritas ;  the  voyage  is  far 
more  pleasant." 

"Why  did  he  start  at  night!" 

"It  was  easier  for  him  to  see  the   danger 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  87i 

which  was  not  there,  or  for  him  to  make  the 
Senoritas  believe  he  saw  it" 
"General  Yozarro  is  devilish  sly;  let  us 


go." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

SiINCE  every  one  in  tropical  America 
I  called  Warrenia  Rowland  by  the  sur- 
name of  Major  Jack  Starland  and 
the  two  were  accepted  as  brother  and 
sister  we  will  do  the  same  for  the  present,  and 
thus  avoid  possible  confusion. 

These  two  had  been  on  the  Forked  River 
but  a  short  time,  when  they  awoke  to  a  most 
unpleasant  fact,  in  addition  to  that  which  has 
already  been  mentioned.  While  the  climate 
was  wholesome  enough  to  those  accustomed 
to  it,  it  was  highly  dangerous  to  visitors.  The 
air  was  damp,  oppressive  and  miasmatic, 
probably  because  of  the  rank  vegetation  that 
grew  everywhere.  Still  further,  the  insect 
pests  were  intolerable  at  times.  Several 
cases  of  illness  among  the  crew  of  the  yacht, 
though  fortunately  none  was  fatal,  alarmed 
Aunt  Cynthia  and  caused  some  uneasiness  on 
the  part  of  Major  Starland,  as  well  as  of  Cap- 
tain Winton.  In  the  circumstances,  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  89 

Major  felt  warranted  in  urging  the  plea  of 
business  as  a  legitimate  one  for  haste  in  leav- 
ing the  detestable  country. 

It  has  been  intimated  that  after  Miss  Star- 
land  had  been  delivered  over  to  her  dearest 
friend,  the  yacht  dropped  down  the  river  to 
Zalapata,  and  left  Jack  there.  Captain  Win- 
ton,  who  was  a  cousin  of  Aunt  Cynthia,  in- 
tended to  steam  some  twenty  miles  farther 
eastward  to  the  city  of  San  Luis,  where  a  few 
needed  supplies  would  be  taken  aboard.  Then 
the  boat  would  return  to  Zalapata  for  its 
owner,  and  continue  on  to  Atlamalco,  there  to 
receive  the  young  woman  for  the  homeward 
voyage. 

Major  Jack  Starland  was  considerate 
enough  to  decide  to  remain  most  of  the  time 
at  the  capital  of  General  Bambos,  knowing 
the  school  mates  would  wish  to  devote  the  all 
too-brief  period  to  each  other.  Consequently 
he  would  only  be  in  the  way.  The  Major 
gave  no  specific  instructions  to  Captain  Win- 
ton,  but  left  much  to  his  discretion.  It  was 
intimated  to  him  that  he  might  return  to  Atla- 
malco in  the  course  of  a  few  days,— an  elastic 
term  which  might  be  halved  or  doubled  with- 
out any  blame  attaching  to  the  skipper. 


90  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

General  Bambos  was  delighted  for  the  time 
with  the  companionship  of  a  man  who  had  re- 
ceived the  thorough  military  training  of  his 
visitor.  Ignorant  as  most  of  the  prominent 
South  Americans  are,  the  majority  have 
heard  of  West  Point,  and  all  know  something 
of  the  courage  and  achievements  of  the  great- 
est nation  in  all  the  world.  The  General  con- 
sulted often  with  his  guest  and  Major  Star- 
land  never  did,  or  rather  never  attempted  to 
do,  a  more  praiseworthy  thing  than  when  he 
strove  to  impress  upon  the  bulky  Dictator  the 
folly  and  crime  of  war. 

"It  was  truthfully  characterized  by  our 
General  Sherman  as  'hell';  it  has  been  the 
curse  of  the  ages  and  brought  misery  and 
death  to  millions,  besides  turning  back  the 
hands  on  the  dial  of  progress  for  centuries. 
Shun  it  as  you  would  the  pestilence  that  stalks 
at  noonday." 

Such  discourse  is  thrown  away  upon  the 
South  American  leader  to  whom  revolutions 
are  as  the  breath  of  his  life.  General  Bam- 
bos blandly  smiled  and  cordially  agreed  with 
the  wise  sentiments,  but  laid  the  blame  eter- 
nally on  the  other  fellow.  If  he  would  only  do 
that  which  is  just,  wars  would  cease  and 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.  91 

blessed  peace  would  brood  forever  over  all 
nations  and  peoples. 

Major  Starland  took  another  tack.  There 
had  been  hostilities  between  Zalapata  and 
Atlamalco  in  the  past,  with  no  special  ad- 
vantage accruing  to  either  side.  On  the 
whole  perhaps  the  latter  Republic  had  been 
the  gainer,  since  the  last  treaty  ceded  to  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  a  small  strip  of  territory  on 
which  Castillo  Descanso  stood,  the  same  hav- 
ing been  a  bone  of  contention  for  a  long  time. 

The  purchase  of  a  tugboat  by  General  Yo- 
zarro had  unquestionably  tipped  the  scales  in 
his  favor.  The  American  did  his  best  to  show 
Bambos  this  fact  and  to  warn  him  that  in  case 
of  another  war  between  the  republics,  Zal- 
apata was  sure  to  be  the  chief  sufferer. 
Bambos  could  not  gainsay  this  and  he  was 
now  seeking  to  balance  things,  by  floating  a 
loan  which  was  to  be  used  in  arming  his 
troops  with  modern  weapons.  He  made  a 
tempting  offer  to  Major  Starland  to  enter  his 
service,  agreeing  to  pay  him  an  enormous  sal- 
ary in  gold,  though  one  might  well  question 
where  he  was  to  obtain  a  fractional  part  of  it, 
and  to  place  him  in  supreme  command  of  the 
military  forces  of  the  Republic. 


92  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

While  the  American  was  inimitably  the  su- 
perior in  mentality  to  the  gross  Dictator,  he 
failed  to  perceive  an  important  truth,  which 
did  not  become  clear  to  him  until  after  his 
plain  talk  with  Captain  Guzman.  The  great 
object  of  the  obese  nuisance  in  warring 
against  Yozarro  was  to  place  Miss  Starland 
under  deep  obligations  to  him,  though  he  was 
too  cunning  to  intimate  anything  of  that  na- 
ture. When  Jack  Starland  kindly  but  firmly 
declined  his  offer,  he  feared  that  he  would  be- 
come an  obstacle  to  his  scheme^  and  although 
he  hid  any  such  feeling,  he  would  have  been 
glad  to  have  him  disappear  from  the  stage  of 
action.  What  galled  Bambos  was  the  fact 
that  the  American  lady  was  the  guest  of  his 
rival,  who  he  knew  would  do  his  utmost  to  woo 
and  win  her.  To  bring  to  naught  anything  of 
that  nature,  he  determined  to  wage  war 
against  Yozarro  and  shatter  the  opportunity 
that  fortune  had  placed  in  the  hands  of  that 
detested  individual.  It  cannot  be  said  that 
the  logic  of  Bambos  was  of  the  best,  but  it 
must  be  remembered  that  the  gentle  passion 
plays  the  mischief  with  numskulls  as  well  as 
with  men  of  wisdom. 

Such  in  brief  was  the  situation,  when  Major 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  93 

Jack  Starland  yielded  to  his  growing  unrest 
over  the  visit  of  his  sister  to  her  friend.  He 
had  learned  that  General  Yozarro  was  a  wid- 
ower—though as  in  the  case  of  Bambos  that 
would  have  made  little  difference  in  his  way- 
ward promptings— and  he  decided  that  it 
would  he  well  to  shorten  the  visit  of  Miss  Star- 
land  or  to  bear  her  company,  so  long  as  she 
stayed  in  Atlamalco.  He  would  be  welcomed 
by  the  young  women  themselves,  and,  al- 
though Yozarro  might  wish  him  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth,  he,  too,  would  be  gra- 
cious. So  the  sail  of  the  American  and  Cap- 
tain Guzman  up  the  forked  river  becomes 
clear  to  the  reader. 

Never  was  mortal  man  more  infatuated  with 
woman  than  was  General  Yozarro,  from  the 
moment  he  first  laid  eyes  on  the  "  Flower  of 
the  North,"  as  he  poetically  named  her.  His 
passion  was  too  absorbing  to  be  concealed,  and 
in  the  sanctity  of  their  apartments  the  niece 
rallied  her  friend  on  the  conquest  she  had 
made. 

"But  it  is  the  very  one  I  do  not  wish  to 
make,"  protested  the  annoyed  American;  "I 
like  General  Yozarro,  chiefly  because  he  is 


94  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

your  relative,  but  absolutely  my  feeling  can 
never  go  beyond  that." 

"I  thought  your  heart  had  not  wandered 
elsewhere. 7 ' 

"It  has  not,  and  it  can  never  pass  to  him, 
my  dear  Manuela." 

' '  May  I  not  say  that  you  might  go  farther 
and  fare  worse?  He  is  one  of  the  kindest- 
hearted  of  men,  is  wealthy  and  would  always 
be  your  slave." 

1  'You  name  the  very  quality  I  cannot  tol- 
erate in  the  one  whom  I  love ;  I  care  nothing 
for  wealth,  for  I  do  not  need  it;  I  want  no 
man  to  be  my  slave,  and  I  shall  never  marry 
any  one  who  is  not  an  American  like  myself." 

"But  many  of  your  young  women  marry 
titles  abroad." 

"And  too  often  hate  themselves  afterward 
for  doing  so.  Misery  and  wretchedness  gen- 
erally follow,  for  there  is  something  unnatural 
in  such  a  union,  with  nothing  of  love  on  either 
side.  Then,  too,  your  uncle  is  double  my  age, 
and  it  is  impossible— utterly  impossible  for 
me  to  return  any  affection  on  his  part,  if  it 
really  exists." 

"There  can  be  no  doubt  of  that,"  replied 
the  impulsive  Atlamalcan,  throwing  her  arms 


ADVENTURES  IX   SOUTH  AMERICA.  95 

around  her  friend  and  affectionately  kissing 
her.  "Be  assured  I  shall  never  urge  you  to  do 
anything  contrary  to  your  own  pure  nature. 
More  than  that,  I  shall  take  the  first  oppor- 
tunity to  impress  upon  General  Yozarro  the 
hopelessness  of  any  love  he  may  feel  toward 
you." 

"That  is  just  like  your  true  self!"  ex- 
claimed the  American,  returning  the  ardent 
caresses  of  her  friend;  "my  stay  with  you  is 
to  be  too  brief  to  allow  any  such  cloud  to  come 
between  us.  Much  as  I  hate  to  cause  you  dis- 
tress, Manuela,  I  shall  not  stay  another  day 
if  he  persists  in  forcing  his  attentions  upon 
me." 

"Have  no  fear  of  that.  He  is  too  good,  too 
considerate,  too  honorable  to  bring  pain  to 
any  one.  He  will  be  grieved  when  I  tell  him 
the  truth,  as  I  shall  lose  no  time  in  doing,  and 
will  hasten  to  repair  the  injustice.  So  let  us 
•kiss  again,  and  say  and  think  no  more  about 
it." 

True  to  her  promise,  Senorita  Estacardo 
took  the  first  occasion  to  explain  frankly  the 
situation  to  her  uncle.  He  listened  thought- 
fully, admitted  his  grief  that  his  new-born 
hope  should  be  crushed,  but  declared  he  would 


90  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

accept  the  facts  like  an  honorable  man  and 
take  every  pains  thht  their  visitor  should  not 
be  annoyed  in  any  way  by  him. 

Nothing  could  have  been  more  delightful 
than  the  few  days  that  followed.  General 
Yozarro  took  his  niece  and  her  friend  on  sev- 
eral voyages  down  the  Rio  Rubio,  and  far 
enough  westward  to  give  her  glimpses  of  the 
magnificent  fauna  and  flora  of  that  interesting 
region.  There  were  times  when  the  exuber- 
ance of  vegetation  and  foliage,  the  sweep  of 
the  mighty  waters,  and  the  superabundance 
of  animal  life  filled  her  with  awe  and  a  cer- 
tain fear,  but  her  wonder  never  abated.  The 
guns  on  the  craft  were  fired  several  times  for 
her  entertainment,  but  the  General  prudently 
refrained  from  pointing  out  the  target  until 
he  had  made  sure  where  the  missile  had 
struck,  when  he  found  no  difficulty  in  do- 
ing so. 

No  knight  of  the  Crusades  could  have  been 
more  attentive  to  her  slightest  wish.  Indeed 
he  was  so  gracious  and  thoughtful  that  she 
felt  at  times  a  certain  compunction.  She 
wished  she  could  give  her  affection  to  one  who 
possessed  so  many  admirable  qualities,  but 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.  97 

compressing  her  lips,  she  shook  her  head  and 
said  again  and  again:    "It  can  never  be." 

Now  and  then  spots  showed  on  the  sun.  She 
caught  glimpses  of  the  volcano-like  nature  of 
the  man,  when  some  of  the  crew  or  his  people 
displeased  him.  She  was  horrified  to  over- 
hear some  words  which  made  known  the  shoot- 
ing of  the  brother  of  Martella  for  a  trifling 
fault,  and  she  learned,  too,  of  Yozarro's  fero- 
cious cruelties  to  others,  including  some  who 
had  been  taken  prisoners  in  honorable  war- 
fare. Underneath  that  suave,  smiling  ex- 
terior lurked  Satan  himself. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

UT  the  fly  was  still  in  the  oint- 
ment.  General  Yozarro  showed  in 
innumerable  ways  that  his  passion 
swayed  him  more  absolutely,  if  pos- 
sible, than  before.  It  appeared  in  the  touch 
of  his  hand  when  assisting  Miss  Starland  to 
mount  or  alight  from  her  horse  on  which  she 
rode  with  her  friends  through  the  picturesque 
country  that  surrounded  the  capital,— in  the 
glance  of  his  ardent  black  eyes,  in  the  sigh 
which  he  pretended  to  try  to  keep  from  her, 
and  in  the  many  hints  which  he  dropped  of 
his  lonely  life  since  the  death  of  his  wife.  The 
young  woman  could  not  touch  upon  these 
themes,  lest  he  accept  it  as  encouragement; 
so  she  contented  herself  with  parrying  them. 
She  began  to  long  for  the  time  when  she 
should  turn  her  back  upon  Atlamalco  forever. 
On  a  certain  balmy  forenoon,  General  Yo- 
zarro, his  niece  and  Miss  Starland  rode  out 
from  the  town  and  over  the  trail  leading  into 
98 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.  99 

the  Rubio  Mountains.  They  were  on  their 
way  to  Castillo  Descanso,  which  had  been  the 
cause  of  much  fighting  between  the  republics, 
and  which  had  finally  fallen  into  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Dictator  of  Atlamalco.  It  was  a 
considerable  way  in  the  mountains  and  stood 
upon  an  elevation  that  brought  it  out  in  clear 
view  from  the  capital. 

"It  is  fully  three  centuries  old,"  explained 
Senorita  Estacardo  to  her  friend,  "and  is  un- 
like anything  I  have  ever  seen  in  this  part  of 
the  world.  I  suppose  there  are  plenty  of  simi- 
lar buildings  along  the  Rhine  and  perhaps  on 
your  own  Hudson,  which  has  been  called  the 
Rhine  of  America." 

"How  came  it  to  be  built!" 

"I  can  only  repeat  the  legends  that  have 
come  down  to  us.  Some  great  pirate  or  gen- 
eral of  Spain  or  Portugal— I  don't  know  which 
—came  up  the  river  in  quest  of  gold  mines  of 
which  he  had  heard  stories  from  the  natives. 
You  know  that  the  first  Spaniards  who  crossed 
the  ocean  to  our  continent  cared  more  for  gold 
than  any  or  everything  else,  and  stopped  at  no 
crimes  to  obtain  it." 

"That  was  the  case  with  many  other  na- 
tions." 


100  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Well,  this  buccaneer  landed  his  crew  here 
and  tramped  inland  to  the  mountains,  where 
the  gold  was  reported  to  be.  He  took  with  him 
several  hundred  native  prisoners  to  work  the 
mines.  He  is  said  to  have  been  very  success- 
ful, and  while  his  slaves  were  digging  in  the 
mountains,  he  set  many  others  to  work  build- 
ing him  a  home. 

"Oh,  there  was  no  element  of  romance  lack- 
ing, for  he  brought  with  him  a  young  and 
beautiful  bride  and  it  was  for  her  that  the 
Castle  was  built.  He  must  have  learned  from 
Columbus,  Balboa,  Pizarro  and  the  other 
early  explorers  that  the  worm  sometimes 
turns  and  that  it  was  wise  for  him  to  make  his 
position  safe  against  any  revolt  of  the  In- 
dians. So  the  house  which  you  are  about  to 
visit  was  put  up.  It  is  of  solid  stone  and 
three  stories  high,— something  almost  un- 
known in  an  earthquake  country  like  ours." 

"But  what  became  of  this  fine  old  gentle- 
man?" 

"I  declare  I  forgot  that.  He  lived  there 
forbears  and  then  found  that  the  danger 
against  which  he  had  made  such  full  prepa- 
rations was  not  the  one  that  threatened  him. 
The  natives  did  not  revolt,  though  why  they 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         101 

did  not  I  do  not  understand,  for  he  treated 
them  like  beasts  of  burden  and  killed  many  in 
mere  wantonness.  It  was  his  own  men  who 
rose  against  him.  They  had  gathered  a  great 
deal  of  gold,  but  grew  homesick.  They  hated 
the  country  and  begged  him  again  and  again 
to  leave  or  allow  them  to  go,  since  they  had 
enough  wealth  for  all.  He  swore  that  not  one 
should  depart  till  the  store  of  gold  was  in- 
creased ten-fold.  Then,  and  not  until  then, 
would  he  weigh  anchor,  spread  sail  and  pass 
down  the  river  to  the  ocean  and  so  homeward. 

"Well,  although  I  suppose  the  men  were 
able  to  gather  more  gold,  it  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed they  could  have  gotten  as  much  as  he 
wished.  So  they  took  the  shortest  way  to 
close  up  the  business.  They  killed  the  cap- 
tain and  his  bride,  carried  aboard  ship  all  the 
wealth  they  had  collected,  set  sail  and  passed 
out  from  further  chronicle.  "What  do  you 
think  of  the  stoiy,  Warrenia?" 

"It  has  the  true  flavor  and  makes  me  anx- 
ious to  look  through  the  Castle." 

General  Yozarro,  who  was  riding  in  ad- 
vance along  the  narrow  trail,  and  listening  to 
the  words  of  his  niece  at  the  rear,  called  over 
his  shoulder: 


102  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"That  privilege  shall  be  yours  in  a  brief 
time,  Miss  Starland ;  I  am  glad  you  are  inter- 
ested." 

"How  could  any  one  help  it?  Is  the  Castle 
yours,  General?" 

"Yes;  it  may  be  said  to  be  a  part  of  the 
spoils  of  war.  The  boundary  line  between 
Atlamalco  and  Zalapata  runs  through  these 
mountains,  but  its  precise  course  has  never 
been  defined.  The  Castle  rightfully  belonged 
to  Atlamalco,  but  General  Bambos  claimed 
that  it  stood  on  his  territory.  Since  he  was 
deaf  to  argument  and  reason  nothing  re- 
mained but  to  refer  it  to  the  arbitrament  of 
arms,  with  the  result  that  General  Bambos  is 
quite  sure  not  to  open  the  dispute  again." 

"Did  those  visitors  of  the  long  ago  take 
away  all  the  gold  in  the  mountains?" 

"That  is  quite  impossible." 

"Why  do  you  not  dig  or  mine  for  what  is 
left?" 

"I  have  thought  of  that,  but  it  seems  wise 
to  wait  until  I  gain  some  one  to  share  my 
lonely  life  with  me." 

"Would  it  not  be  more  considerate  to  fin- 
ish the  work  before  that  time,  so  that  you  both 
will  be  at  leisure  to  enjoy  it?  How  much 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.          103 

better  than  waging  war  with  your  neigh- 
bors!" 

"I  have  sufficient  gold  for  me  and  mine. 
You  mean  it  would  be  better  for  my  neigh- 
bors to  refrain  from  waging  war  against  me. 
I  made  a  religious  vow  long  since  never  to  go 
to  war  except  in  the  defence  of  my  rights,  and 
that  you  know  is  one's  solemn  duty." 

It  was  the  same  old  argument  that  General 
Bambos  had  used  in  discussing  the  question 
with  Major  Jack  Starland. 

The  young  woman  made  no  reply,  for  she 
saw  it  would  be  useless,  and  her  escort  added : 

"Your  counsel  is  good,  Miss  Starland,  but 
suppose  General  Bambos  should  construe 
such  action  on  my  part  as  unfriendly  I9' 

"Surely  he  cannot  do  so,  unless  yon  enter 
his  territory,  and  that  I  am  sure  you  have  no 
thought  of  doing." 

"You  know  not  the  perfidy  of  that  man," 
was  the  commentary  of  the  Dictator,  his 
words  inspired  by  jealousy. 

When  the  Castle  of  Rest  was  reached  it 
justified  all  that  Senorita  Estacardo  had  said 
of  it,  though  it  lacked  moat  and  drawbridge 
and  the  other  feudal  accessories.  It  was  of 
massive  rock  and  stone,  sixty  or  more  feet  in 


104  FP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

length  and  almost  as  broad.  The  lowest  floor 
consisted  of  two  large  rooms,  with  broarl 
openings  instead  of  doors,  rough  and  unfur- 
nished  and  with  walls  several  feet  in  thickness. 
At  the  time  of  its  building,  it  would  have  re- 
sisted any  armament  that  could  have  been 
brought  to  bear  against  it.  The  crevices  be- 
tween the  stones  throughout  the  structure  had 
been  filled  with  clay  or  adobe,  which  in  the 
course  of  centuries  had  hardened  to  the  consis- 
tency of  rock  itself.  The  second  and  third 
stories  contained  each  four  apartments,  whose 
walls  were  of  less  thickness,  but  the  whole  con- 
stituted a  veritable  Gibraltar.  Sloping  stone 
steps  connected  each  story,  but  only  the  rooms 
of  the  second  contained  anything  in  the  na- 
ture of  furniture. 

It  was  evident  that  General  Yozarro  had 
given  this  portion  recent  attention,  for  the 
windows,  tall,  narrow  and  paneless,  had  been 
screened  by  netting  with  the  finest  of  meshes, 
though  none  can  be  fine  enough  to  wholly 
exclude  the  infinitesimal  insects  like  the  colo- 
radilla,  or  red  flea,  whose  bite  is  as  the  point 
of  a  red  hot  needle,  the  sand  fly,  and  other 
devilish  insects  beyond  enumeration.  Mat- 
ting was  spread  on  the  smooth  stone  floors, 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.          105 

there  were  imported  chairs  of  costly  make, 
stands,  a  bureau  and  much  of  what  consti- 
tutes the  appointments  of  a  modern  residence 
in  a  tropical  country.  The  doors  were  made 
of  a  species  of  wood,  beautifully  carved,  but 
showing  no  effects  of  the  tooth  of  time,  except 
in  the  gray  faded  color,  for  paint  had  never 
touched  them.  They  were  powerful  enough 
to  defy  a  battering  ram,  fitted  with  enormous 
locks  and  heavy  bars  that  could  be  slipped 
into  the  massive  iron  receptacles. 

' '  Had  that  old  buccaneer  been  given  notice 
of  the  attack  by  his  men,"  said  Miss  Starland, 
when  the  building  had  been  inspected  from 
top  to  bottom,  "he  might  have  shut  himself 
in  one  of  these  rooms  and  bade  them  do  their 
worst." 

"Perhaps  he  did,"  suggested  General 
Yozarro. 

"And  yet  the  legend  says  he  fell." 

"Starvation  and  thirst  are  enemies  to 
whom  the  bravest  must  surrender." 

"It  looks,  General,  as  if  you  had  been  re- 
juvenating this  fine  old  Castle." 

' '  I  have  done  so  to  a  certain  extent  in  honor 
of  your  coming.  Besides  I  thought  my  niece 


106  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

would  find  a  stay  here  pleasant  during  the 
oppressive  weather  and  I  prepared  it  partly 
for  her.  You  observe  how  much  cooler  it  is 
here  than  in  the  capital.'* 


CHAPTER  XHI. 

A  had  observed  this  fact  which  was 
natural.  The  elevation  of  the  struc- 
ture, which  was  open  to  every 
breeze  that  fluttered  through  the 
mountains,  made  it  one  of  the  most  comforta- 
ble places  in  that  part  of  the  world.  Another 
thing  had  been  noted  by  the  young  women. 
Two  armed  sentinels  were  pacing  outside,  and 
two  more  came  forward  from  the  lower  apart- 
ments and  saluted  the  General  and  his  party. 
They  relieved  one  another  at  regular  inter- 
vals, and  three  of  them  had  their  wives  domi- 
ciled on  the  second  floor.  These  were  slat- 
terns, not  wholly  lacking  in  a  certain  comeli- 
ness, and  eyed  the  visitors  with  shy  curiosity. 
The  latter  spoke  to  them  in  Spanish,  to  which 
they  smiled  and  replied  in  soft,  awed  mono- 
syllables, and  respectfully  watched  the  move- 
ments of  the  young  women. 

General  Yozarro  descended  the  lower  stairs, 
leaving  his  young  friends  on  the  second  floor, 

107 


108  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

where  they  lingered  a  few  minutes  to  admire 
the  view  from  the  windows.  The  broad, 
wooded  plain,  stretching  to  the  verge  of  vision, 
the  town  nestling  in  the  lowlands  a  few  miles 
away,  the  sweep  of  the  river,  and  the  cloud- 
less blue  sky  formed  a  picture  that  would 
always  linger  in  the  memory  of  all  whose 
privilege  it  was  to  look  upon  them. 

The  two  turned  to  descend  the  steps,  when 
the  Senorita  missed  one  of  her  gloves.  Hur- 
riedly glancing  about  her,  she  said: 

"I  must  have  dropped  it  in  the  story  above; 
I'll  run  up  and  search,  while  you  may  find  it 
below  or  on  the  outside." 

She  darted  off  like  a  bird,  and  Miss  Star- 
land  moved  down  the  sloping  steps  which 
gave  back  not  the  slightest  sound.  The 
female  servants  had  preceded  her,  so  that  for 
a  brief  time  she  was  alone.  She  reached  the 
lower  floor,  and  was  passing  through  the 
opening  leading  out  doors,  when  she  heard 
some  one  speaking  in  a  low,  but  excited  voice. 
She  paused  and  discovered  that  he  was  swear- 
ing frightfully,  the  passion  of  the  speaker 
being  the  more  fearful  because  of  the  repres- 
sion of  the  tones.  With  a  shock  which  cannot 
be  described,  she  recognized  the  voice  as  Gen- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.          109 

eral  Yozarro's,  and,  more  shameful  than  all, 
he  was  addressing  one  of  the  women. 

In  her  distress,  and  determined  not  to  hear 
the  words,  Miss  Starland  softly  ran  up  the 
steps  and  was  looking  through  the  rooms 
again  for  the  missing  glove,  when  her  friend, 
with  a  glowing  smile,  came  down  holding  it 
up  in  her  hand.  Both  laughed  over  the  insig- 
nificant incident,  and  Miss  Starland  took  care 
as  they  descended  that  her  own  merriment 
continued.  General  Yozarro,  thus  warned, 
finished  his  imprecations,  and  met  them  with 
his  usual  smiles  and  graciousness.  In  his 
snowy  suit,  sombrero  in  hand,  he  was  the 
acme  of  cool  politeness  and  courtesy.  Had 
not  Miss  Starland  identified  his  voice  unmis- 
takably, she  could  not  have  believed  what  her 
ears  had  told  her. 

That  one  revelation,  however,  did  its  work. 
She  was  resolved  to  leave  Atlamalco  on  the 
first  opportunity  and  never  to  set  foot  within 
the  Republic  again.  She  had  come  to  look 
upon  this  man  with  a  mortal  horror,  for, 
under  the  mask  of  chivalry,  he  carried  the 
blackest  of  hearts. 

The  return  ride  was  trying  to  the  last  de- 
gree. General  Yozarro  seemed  to  have  for- 


110  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

gotten  his  promise  to  his  niece,  and  tortured 
her  friend  with  attentions  which  filled  her 
with  resentment.  When  he  assisted  her  to 
dismount,  he  pressed  her  hand  for  an  instant 
until  the  rings  on  her  fingers  dented  the  flesh 
and  almost  caused  her  to  cry  out  with  pain. 
He  uttered  endearing  expressions  in  a  voice 
so  low  that  no  ears  except  those  for  which 
they  were  intended  heard  them,  and  they  gave 
no  heed.  Her  friend  seemed  to  see  nothing 
of  all  this,  though  she  must  have  been  aware 
of  it. 

The  irrepressible  lover,  more  hopelessly 
enmeshed  than  ever,  insisted  upon  their  visi- 
tor sitting  with  him  and  his  niece  on  the 
piazza  in  the  moonlight,  but  in  desperation, 
she  pleaded  a  headache— when  she  had  never 
suffered  therefrom— and  kept  her  room. 

"And  Jack  never  dreams  of  anything  of 
this  kind,"  was  her  thought;  "he  is  only  a 
few  miles  away,  and  I  shall  insist  that  I  be 
taken  to  him  on  the  morrow." 

Having  made  her  resolution,  she  carried  it 
out.  At  the  table,  which  was  set  in  the  large 
back  room  of  General  Yozarro's  city  house, 
and  provided  with  the  choicest  fruits  and 
every  delicacy  that  the  fertile  republic  could 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          Ill 

furnish,  she  made  known  her  wish.  She 
longed  to  see  her  brother  on  an  important 
matter,  and  begged  that  she  might  be  taken 
to  him  with  the  least  possible  delay.  The 
others  expressed  their  regret,  and  the  General 
offered  to  send  for  her  relative. 

* '  The  one  who  goes  to  take  the  message  can 
as  well  take  me  along,"  said  she,  determined 
to  force  the  point. 

"Do  you  expect  to  remain  with  him  long?" 
inquired  the  General. 

"I  know  of  nothing  to  prevent  our  coming 
back  quite  soon." 

"Your  wish  is  my  command;  I  shall  be 
very  busy  to-day  on  important  matters.  Sup- 
pose we  take  the  ride  to  Zalapata  on  my  gun- 
boat this  evening?" 

"That  will  be  delightful!"  exclaimed  the 
niece,  and  though  it  was  not  the  exact  arrange- 
ment her  friend  wished,  she  could  offer  no 
objection  and  it  was  so  agreed. 

Thus  it  came  to  pass  that  the  General  Yo- 
zarro  steamed  past  Major  Jack  Starland  and 
Captain  Guzman,  while  the  two  sat  smoking 
in  front  of  the  native 's  hut  on  the  northern 
shore  of  the  Rio  Rubio,  without  either  party 
suspecting  how  near  they  were  to  each  other. 


112  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

The  long  day  gave  General  Yozarro  abun- 
dant time  to  perfect  his  schemes  which  were 
carried  out  with  precision  and  a  faultless 
nicety  of  detail. 

Two  miles  beyond  the  hut,  while  the  young 
women  were  partaking  of  refreshments  in  the 
Captain's  room,  which  had  been  specially 
fitted  for  their  reception,  he  came  to  them  in 
great  agitation. 

"I  have  just  discovered  that  General 
Bambos  has  obtained  a  boat  somewhere  and 
is  descending  the  river  with  the  undoubted 
purpose  of  attacking  Atlamalco." 

"Let  us  hasten  back  ahead  of  him,"  said 
his  startled  niece,  who  like  her  friend  was  in 
dismay  over  the  tidings. 

"It  will  never  do  to  flee  before  him ;  he  must 
be  kept  from  reaching  our  capital;  a  battle 
with  him  is  a  necessity." 

"With  us  on  board!" 

"I  do  not  see  how  it  can  be  helped— but 
hold !  I  will  land  you  here  and  send  you  to 
Castillo  Descanso,  where  you  will  be  beyond 
all  harm.  Ah !  that  is  it !  That  is  it ! " 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

[E  tug  rounded  to  and  approached 
the  shore  so  close  that  by  running 
out  the  gang-plank,  the  young 
women  were  readily  assisted  to 
land.  They  were  nervously  eager,  for  there 
was  no  saying  when  the  hostile  craft  would 
appear  and  open  fire,  since  its  crew  and  leader 
must  be  unaware  of  the  presence  of  the  non- 
combatants. 

General  Yozarro  could  not  have  been  more 
thoughtful.  He  was  profuse  in  his  regrets 
because  it  was  necessary  to  subject  them  to 
this  inconvenience,  and  he  assured  both  over 
and  over  again  that  everything  would  be  done 
for  their  comfort 

"You  know  the  Castle  is  prepared  for  your 
stay,  which  I  hope  will  be  brief;  I  shall  see 
that  nothing  is  neglected  and  you  will  hear 
from  me  tomorrow." 

The  three  were  standing  for  a  minute  or 
two  on  the  bank,  having  but  little  luggage  to 

113 


114  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

take  with  them,  since,  when  they  left  At- 
lamalco  nothing  like  this  had  been  dreamed  of 
by  the  two. 

"But,  General,"  said  the  Senorita,  " it  is  a 
mile  to  the  Castle ;  how  are  we  to  reach  there 
alone  and  at  night?" 

Before  he  answered,  two  men  came  silently 
out  of  the  gloomy  wood.  They  were  in  the 
uniform  of  soldiers,  and  one  of  them,  saluting, 
said: 

"General,  we  have  the  horses  saddled  and 
waiting." 

"That  is  fortunate;  I  will  assist  you  to 
mount. ' ' 

This  time  he  did  not  press  the  hand  of  Miss 
Starland,  when  with  his  slight  help,  she 
vaulted  into  the  saddle,  nor  did  he  sigh 
or  give  expression  to  anything  sentimen- 
tal. The  time  was  too  critical  for  any- 
thing like  that.  He  waved  them  farewell, 
hurried  aboard  over  the  plank,  which  was 
quickly  drawn  in,  and  the  screw  of  the  tug- 
boat began  churning  the  muddy  water,  as  she 
circled  slowly  about  and  headed  up  stream. 

The  young  women,  being  mounted,  looked 
apprehensively  out  over  the  moonlit  stream, 
expecting  and  dreading  the  coming  of  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA.          115 

other  boat  which  was  to  fire  the  opening  gun 
of  another  senseless  and  vicious  conflict  be- 
tween the  peppery  republics.  The  situation, 
however,  was  too  dangerous  for  them  to  wait 
more  than  a  few  minutes,  and  one  of  the  sol- 
diers, doffing  his  sombrero,  spoke  with  the 
utmost  deference: 

"I  will  lead  the  way  and  your  horse  will 
follow.  My  comrade  will  walk  at  the  rear; 
be  assured  there  is  no  danger." 

Each  man  carried  a  musket  and  the  one 
who  had  spoken  turned  inland.  The  horse  of 
the  American  followed,  the  gait  of  all  being 
the  ordinary  walk.  The  Senorita  was  only 
a  few  steps  behind  her,  while  the  second  sol- 
dier silently  stalked  at  the  rear.  The  Ameri- 
can noticed  that  they  were  following  a  clearly 
marked  path  or  trail,  which  soon  began  de- 
scending, then  climbed  upward,  and  wound 
around  and  between  rocks,  the  gloom  in  some 
places  being  so  deep  that  she  caught  only 
shadowy  glimpses  of  the  guide  in  front,  as  he 
plodded  onward  like  one  familiar  with  his 
course.  At  times  there  were  openings  where 
the  light  was  like  that  at  midday.  She  might 
well  have  trembled  had  not  her  animal  been 
sure-footed,  for  they  had  penetrated  no  more 


116  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

than  a  few  hundred  yards,  when  the  little 
procession  began  threading  along  the  face  of 
a  mass  of  rocks,  where  the  path  was  so  nar- 
row that  she  felt  the  swish  of  her  skirts 
against  the  mountain  wall,  and  on  her  right  it 
sloped  downward  perpendicularly,  until  what 
seemed  a  bottomless  pit  was  hidden  in  a  pool 
of  gloom.  A  misstep  by  any  member  of  the 
party  would  have  sent  him  or  her  to  instant 
destruction.  But  the  animals  and  men  moved 
confidently,  though  the  pace  was  slow.  Evi- 
dently, with  the  exception  of  the  women,  all 
were  familiar,  not  only  with  this  method  of 
traveling,  but  with  this  particular  route. 

As  soon  as  our  friends  had  become  accus- 
tomed to  the  work,  the  thoughts  of  both  re- 
verted to  the  river,  and  they  listened  with 
shrinking  foreboding  for  the  sound  of  the 
guns  that  would  mark  the  opening  of  the  fight 
between  the  two  craft.  General  Yozarro  had 
declared  that  he  would  not  permit  the  boat 
of  his  enemy  to  reach  the  capital,  and  he  inti- 
mated that  as  soon  as  he  was  released  from 
the  care  of  the  ladies,  he  would  be  quick  to 
open  the  naval  battle. 

"He  steamed  up  stream,"  reflected  Miss 
Starland,  "but  he  will  not  go  far;  he  is  seek- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          11? 

ing  a  favorable  position  near  by  and  the  con- 
flict will  be  a  fierce  one." 

But  the  minutes  passed  and  the  silence  was 
unbroken.  Naught  but  the  myriad  voices  of 
the  jungle  thrummed  into  her  ears  and  she 
found  herself  wondering  what  the  explana- 
tion of  the  continued  silence  could  be.  Had 
General  Yozarro  changed  his  mind  and 
hastened  to  his  capital,  with  the  decision  to 
offer  defence  there?  She  could  not  believe  it. 
It  seemed  more  probable  that  he  had  hurried 
down  the  river  toward  Zalapata  to  meet  his 
antagonist,  who  may  have  turned  and  fled  to 
his  own  town.  Even  this  looked  unlikely,  but 
it  was  the  only  explanation  that  presented 
itself.  She  would  have  liked  to  converse  with 
her  friend,  but  the  circumstances  were  un- 
favorable. The  continual  shifting  of  condi- 
tions compelled  her  to  keep  a  firm  seat  and 
rein  and  to  watch  every  step  of  her  horse. 

As  the  minutes  passed  and  they  penetrated 
farther  into  the  interior,  without  hearing  the 
boom  of  the  gun,  a  disquieting  question  forced 
itself  upon  her.  How  did  it  come  about  that 
when  she  and  her  friend  were  put  ashore,  two 
soldiers  were  awaiting  them,  with  properly 
saddled  animals  ?  It  could  not  have  been  acci- 


118  FP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

dent  or  coincidence.  They  must  have  been 
there  by  order  of  General  Yozarro,  who  in- 
tended from  the  first  that  the  landing  should 
be  made.  No  other  theory  was  reasonable. 
Had  any  doubt  lingered,  it  would  have  been 
removed  by  the  silence  of  the  armed  craft. 

This  question  inevitably  suggested  the 
other  as  to  the  reason  why  General  Yozarro 
had  adopted  so  extraordinary  a  policy.  Had 
he  wished  to  send  the  two  to  the  Castle,  there 
was  not  the  shadow  of  a  difficulty  in  doing  so, 
by  the  simplest  and  most  direct  means.  As 
we  know,  they  had  already  visited  the  gloomy 
building  and  would  not  have  hesitated  to  ac- 
company him  again.  Why  all  this  mystery  of 
landing  them  from  the  boat  at  night  and  send- 
ing them  into  the  mountains  in  charge  of  two 
of  his  soldiers  T 

The  thoughts  that  thronged  upon  the  Amer- 
ican were  too  perplexing  for  solution,  and  she 
resolutely  put  them  away  for  a  more  conven- 
ient season.  When  she  and  her  comrade  could 
sit  down  and  talk  in  quietude,  they  might 
formulate  the  explanation  which  at  present 
was  beyond  reach. 

One  resolution,  however,  had  crystallized: 
she  would  lose  no  time  or  opportunity  in  get- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         119 

ting  beyond  the  domain  of  General  Yozarro 
and  would  never  again  willingly  enter  it.  She 
had  had  more  than  enough  of  Zalapata  as  well 
as  Atlamalco,  and  yearned  for  the  return  of 
Jack's  yacht,  when  they  could  flit  from  a 
country  which  she  had  come  to  detest  unutter- 
ably. She  dearly  loved  Manuela  and  could 
not  reconcile  herself  to  the  thought  of  losing 
her  companionship  forever;  but  from  this 
time  forward,  the  American  must  voyage  to 
the  country  which  had  been  her  home  for 
years,  and  where  she  could  be  assured  of  re- 
spectful treatment. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

SJUDDENLY  her  plodding  pony  stood 
I  still,  with  a  slight  neigh  and  ears 
erect.  They  were  at  that  moment 
winding  around  the  face  of  a  preci- 
pice, with  the  wall  on  the  left  rising  to  a 
h eight  of  a  hundred  feet  or  more,  and  sloping 
downward  on  the  right  into  a  gorge  of  Stygian 
blackness.  The  path  was  a  yard  or  over  in 
width,  so  there  was  plenty  of  foothold,  and 
the  halt  could  not  be  due  to  any  lack  of  that 
nature. 

The  guide  was  motionless,  a  dozen  paces 
in  advance.  Something  seemed  to  have  caught 
his  notice  and  caused  him  to  hesitate.  Peer- 
ing beyond  his  head  in  the  vivid  moonlight, 
Miss  Starland  discerned  a  crouching  form, 
lithe  and  sinewy,  and  resembling  a  huge 
hound.  It  had  been  approaching  from  the 
opposite  direction,  when  it  was  checked  by 
sight  of  the  man.  A  growl  pierced  the  still- 
ness, as  it  stood  lashing  its  sides  with  its  long 
120 


ADVENTURES    IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.          l.'l 

tail.  Then  it  began  inching  forward  witli  in- 
tent to  attack  the  obstacle  in  its  path.  The 
latter  maintained  his  stationary  pose,  but  at 
sight  of  the  beast  stealthily  creeping  upon 
him,  he  raised  his  grni  to  his  shonlder,  took 
a  quick  aim  and  fired. 

The  space  was  short  and  the  shot  sped  true. 
Upon  receiving  the  bullet,  the  beast  emitted 
a  rasping  screech  and  leaped  directly  upward, 
as  if  impelled  from  a  springboard,  and  fall- 
ing on  its  side,  rolled  over  the  edge  of  the 
precipice,  down  which  it  sped,  clawing,  snarl- 
ing and  bringing  the  loose  dirt  streaming  af- 
ter it,  until  it  vanished  in  the  gloomy  depths 
and  all  became  as  it  was  before. 

The  soldier  coolly  reloaded  his  gun,  without 
stirring  from  his  position,  turned  his  head  and 
said  in  a  conversational  tone:  "Come  on; 
all  is  well. ' '  Then  he  resumed  his  walk,  and 
the  pony  of  Miss  Starland,  as  if  all  had  been 
clear  to  him  from  the  first,  plodded  onward. 

"Do  you  know  what  that  animal  was?" 
called  the  Senorita  from  the  rear. 

"How  should  I  know  anything  about  him?" 

"It  was  a  jaguar." 

"Said  to  be  one  of  the  most  dangerous  ani- 
mals of  your  country. " 


122  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"I  hope  you  have  no  fear  of  that  particular 
one." 

''No,  but  there  must  be  others." 

"They  are  not  plentiful  in  these  mountains ; 
at  any  rate,  the  guide  will  take  good  care  of 
you." 

A  few  minutes  later,  the  procession  began 
descending  the  trail,  which  broadened  and 
was  partly  hidden  by  undergrowth  and  trees, 
that  lined  the  sides  and  overshadowed  the 
party  at  intervals.  Several  times  Miss  Star- 
land  had  heard  an  odd  chattering,  which  she 
could  not  identify,  but  which  did  not  disturb 
the  others.  This  showed  that  the  soldiers 
understood  and  so  long  as  that  was  the  case, 
she  need  not  be  disturbed  in  mind. 

In  the  lowest  part  of  the  valley-like  depres- 
sion, where  she  could  catch  only  dim  glimpses 
of  her  guide,  she  was  dreadfully  startled  by 
an  object  alighting  like  a  feather  on  her  horse 
directly  in  front.  It  was  so  close  that  she 
instantly  saw  it  was  a  monkey,  which  in  pure 
mischief  had  dropped  from  one  of  the 
branches  and  perched  itself  on  the  shoulders 
of  the  pony.  Looking  round  at  her  it  chat- 
tered and  seemed  on  the  point  of  climbing 
upon  her  head  when  she  struck  it  so  sharp  a 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         1_>3 

cuff  that  it  toppled  over  sideways  from  the 
horse  upon  the  trail,  down  which  it  went 
clawing  and  chattering  its  anger;  but,  though 
it  dropped  from  sight,  it  must  be  believed  it 
suffered  no  harm,  because  of  its  own  nimble- 
ness. 

Her  friend  saw  enough  to  understand  what 
had  taken  place  and  called  out: 

"I  hope  you  are  not  frightened,  Warrenia; 
the  little  fellow  meant  no  harm." 

"But  I  do  not  wish  his  company;  you  are 
welcome  to  it." 

"I  care  little  either  way,  but  they  are  re- 
vengeful, and  when  you  cuff  the  next  one's 
ears,  don't  do  it  too  hard,  or  it  may  rouse  the 
others  to  attack  you;  heigho!  here's  an- 
other!" exclaimed  the  Seiiorita,  as  one  of  the 
agile  creatures  bounded  from  somewhere 
upon  her  horse  and  whisked  out  of  sight 
again. 

A  soft  murmur  stole  through  the  night,  and 
gradually  increased  in  depth  of  volume,  until 
when  the  party  rounded  a  bend  in  the  trail, 
they  came  upon  the  cause.  To  the  right  and 
a  hundred  feet  above  them,  a  sheet  of  crystal- 
line water  poured  over  the  edge  of  the  rocks 
and  tumbled  into  the  valley  below,  whence  it 


124  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

wound  its  course  to  the  Rio  Eubio,  only  a 
short  distance  away.  The  falls  were  twenty 
feet  in  width,  with  a  descent  perhaps  twice  as 
great,  and  in  the  moonlight  they  looked  like 
a  motionless  sheen  of  silver,  which  might  have 
been  believed  to  be  the  case  but  for  the  churn- 
ing of  the  snowy  foam  below.  From  this  a 
fleecy  mist  was  continually  ascending,  and  a 
little  way  above,  it  displayed  a  faint  rainbow, 
whose  exquisitely  delicate  beauty  caused  an 
exclamation  of  delight  from  the  visitor  who 
saw  the  picture  for  the  first  time  in  her  life. 

But  to  the  escort  it  was  a  familiar  sight, 
and  they  gave  it  only  a  glance,  as  they 
trudged  onward.  They  were  unemotional 
automata,  who  knew  nothing  except  to  obey 
the  orders  of  their  terrible  chief.  He  had 
commanded  them  to  give  safe  conduct  to  the 
young  women  to  the  Castle,  and  that  was  their 
sole  task.  So  far  as  the  American  was  aware, 
not  a  word  had  been  spoken  by  the  man  at  the 
rear,  and  the  guide  opened  his  lips  only  when 
necessary. 

Several  times  while  pressing  over  the  trail, 
they  had  caught  sight  of  the  stone  structure, 
and  noted  the  twinkling  of  the  lights  from  the 
upper  story.  Making  another  turn,  and 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          125 

climbing'  a  slight  ascent,  they  came  to  the 
small  plateau  on  which  it  stood,  only  a  few 
rods  in  advance. 

Proof  again  appeared  that  this  journey 
had  been  pre-arranged.  Instead  of  two 
guards,  some  eight  or  ten  men  were  patrolling 
and  lounging  on  the  outside  of  the  grim  build- 
ing. One  of  these  came  forward  and  spoke 
for  several  minutes,  in  low  tones,  with  the 
guide.  A  call  was  made  to  the  man  at  the  rear 
and  he  advanced  and  took  part  in  the  conver- 
sation. 

The  ponies  halted  of  their  own  accord, 
^liile  Miss  Starland  was  waiting  and  won- 
dering, her  friend  dropped  lightly  from  the 
saddle  and  came  to  her  side. 

"Give  me  your  hand,  Warrenia;  we  are 
done  riding  for  to-night." 

The  next  moment  the  two  young  women 
stood  beside  each  other  on  the  ground.  Nat- 
urally the  Senorita  took  charge  of  her  guest 
and  led  the  way  through  the  broad  opening 
to  the  lower  part  of  the  Castle,  where  a  native 
woman  was  standing.  Manuela  recognized 
her  as  a  servant  of  her  uncle's  household,  and 
addressed  her  by  name.  She  replied  that 


126  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

their  apartment  was  ready  and  conducted  the 
two  into  the  lower  division  of  the  "building, 
which  was  dimly  lit  up  by  a  lamp  fastened  to 
a  bracket  in  the  wall.  Still  under  the  lead  of 
Juanita,  as  she  was  called,  the  couple  passed 
up  the  steps  to  the  principal  apartment,  which 
they  had  inspected  the  day  before. 

"You  will  wish  to  be  together,"  said  the 
servant  with  a  broad  smile,  "and  this  is  your 
home,  so  long  as  you  honor  the  Castle  with 
your  company." 

"Yes,  we  shall  stay  together,"  the  Senorita 
hastened  to  say,  slipping  her  arm  under  that 
of  her  friend,  who  pressed  it  affectionately. 
"You  may  leave  us  now,  Juanita,  and  when 
we  want  you,  we  will  call." 

The  apartment  was  the  one  that  had  been 
provided  with  conveniences  and  appoint- 
ments, such  as  two  young  ladies  were  likely 
to  need,  even  to  the  little  knick-knacks  that 
are  considered  indispensable  by  them.  A 
glance  around  the  room,  in  the  mellow  light 
of  the  lamp  on  the  mantel,  showed  nothing 
lacking. 

"It  seems  to  have  been  specially  prepared 
for  us,"  said  the  Senorita. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          127 

"And  that,  my  dear  friend,  is  the  one  thing 
that  troubles  me ;  I  do  not  understand  it ;  do 
you!" 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

IENORITA  ESTACARDO  drew  her 
chair  beside  the  snowy  couch  and 
faced  her  friend,  who  did  the  same 
regarding  her.  Reaching  out  her 
hand,  she  lovingly  inclosed  that  of  Miss  Star- 
land,  just  as  she  used  to  do  in  the  dear  old 
days  at  the  Seminary.  The  American  young 
woman  leaned  forward  and  kissed  the  dark 
cheek,  and  for  a  minute  they  sat  without 
speaking.  Then  with  the  black  eyes  gazing 
into  the  blue  ones,  the  owner  of  the  former 
said  in  a  voice,  scarcely  above  a  whisper: 

"Warrenia,  I  do  not  understand  it." 

"And,  Manuela,  I'm  afraid  I  do." 

"Tell  me,  then." 

"Surely  you  have  a  suspicion.  Why  should 
we  mince  matters?  He  has  forgotten  his 
pledge  to  you  and  is  more  resolute  than  be- 
fore." 

"I  fear  you  are  right.  The  thought  has 
been  growing  upon  me  ever  since  we  left  the 
boat.  Need  I  tell  you  that  you  are  no  more 
shocked  and  grieved  than  I?" 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.          129 

"No,  nothing  that  mind  can  conceive  will 
ever  throw  a  shadow  upon  your  loyalty  and 
goodness.  I  have  known  yon  too  long  and  too 
well  for  me  to  have  room  for  snch  an  in- 
justice." 

The  other's  answer  to  this  was  to  throw  her 
arms  impulsively  around  the  neck  of  her 
friend  and  to  kiss  her  again  and  again,  mur- 
muring : 

' l  Thank  you  and  bless  you !  I  can  never  be 
the  angel  that  you  are  and  I  would  gladly  die 
for  yon." 

There  were  no  tears  in  the  eyes  of  either; 
they  were  too  brave  for  that.  It  was  the 
American  who  spoke  when  they  became  more 
composed : 

"We  are  agreed  upon  the  one  thing,  and, 
therefore,  must  be  right.  But  you  can  aid  me 
to  clear  up  several  points  that  trouble  me. 
Why  did  General  Yozarro  put  us  ashore  and 
send  us  here?" 

"I  suspect  his  reason  for  that.  You  know 
he  has  spoken  of  sending  us  to  the  Castle  to 
spend  a  few  days  of  the  hot  weather.  He 
had  the  preparations  made  and  this  room 
fitted  for  us.  We  should  have  come  here  to- 
day, but  for  your  change  of  mind.  You  de- 


130  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

manded  to  go  to  Zalapata  and  lie  could  not 
refuse.  His  plan  that  you  should  come  to  the 
Castle  was  not  changed,  but  he  had  to  seem 
to  defer  to  your  wishes.  To  have  come  di- 
rectly here  would  have  been  a  plain  disregard 
of  them,  so  he  spent  the  day  in  planning  this 
deception,  and  carried  it  out  without  the  least 
difficulty." 

* '  Must  he  not  have  seen  that  when  we  went 
ashore  and  found  the  escort  waiting  with 
ponies,  we  should  see  that  the  whole  thing 
was  pre-arranged?  In  no  other  way  could  it 
have  come  about." 

"True,  but  when  we  understood  it  all  it 
would  be  too  late  to  do  us  any  good." 

"What  of  his  story  that  General  Bambos 
had  sent  a  boat  up  the  river  to  attack  At- 
lamalco?" 

"It  was  pure  invention." 

"We  certainly  have  heard  no  sounds  of  a 
battle  between  the  boats." 

"Because  there  has  been  none.  He  saw  no 
more  of  a  hostile  fleet  than  did  we,  for  none 
exists;  he  has  gone  back  to  Atlamalco." 

"I  suppose  he  will  be  here  tomorrow  with 
some  cunning  falsehood  to  explain  why  the 
conflict  did  not  take  place.  He  will  say  he 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.         131 

gave  chase  to  the  enemy,  who  fled  without 
firing  a  shot,  but  how  can  I  pretend  to  believe 
him?" 

'  *  There  is  no  call  for  any  such  pretense.  If 
he  tries  further  deception,  ask  him  to  make 
clear  how  the  two  soldiers  were  waiting  on 
shore  with  horses.  If  he  makes  a  reasonable 
explanation  of  that,  he  has  more  ingenuity 
than  I  ever  supposed. ' ' 

"  We  can  have  no  trouble  in  convicting  him, 
but,  Manuela,  my  dread  is  that  it  will  not  help 
matters,  but  rather  make  them  worse.  I  must 
confess  that  his  conduct  is  beyond  my  com- 
prehension. '  * 

"It  is  not  beyond  mine." 

"What  is  your  theory t" 

"It  is  not  a  theory  but  a  fact.  My  uncle  is 
so  hopelessly  in  love  with  you  that  his  ordi- 
nary common  sense  has  left  him." 

"It  may  be  as  you  say,  but  much  remains 
that  is  unaccountable  to  me." 

"I  see  little  that  is  not  made  clear  by  what 
I  have  said.  You  and  I  know  that  when  a 
man  becomes  as  blindly  infatuated  as  he,  his 
conduct  violates  reason  and  the  simplest  pru- 
dence and  he  does  things  that  would  be  absurd 
in  a  child.  Frightened  by  the  prospect  of 


132  TIP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

losing  you,  he  gave  all  his  thoughts  and  en- 
ergies to  preventing  it.  This  was  the  only 
method  that  suggested  itself,  and  we  cannot 
deny,  my  dear  friend,  that  it  has  been  quite 
successful  up  to  this  point." 

"But  of  what  possible  avail  can  it  be  to 
him?  Idiot  that  he  is,  he  must  know  that  this 
situation  can  last  but  a  short  time.  Jack  will 
find  it  out  within  twenty-four  hours,  and  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  must  know  what  will  happen 
then." 

"Dearest  Warrenia,  you  do  not  see  as  much 
in  this  as  I.  What  stronger  proof  can  I  give 
of  my  love  to  you  than  to  say  that  we  must 
separate  and  you  must  leave  this  part  of  the 
world  with  the  least  possible  delay?  Tour 
own  loveliness  is  your  peril.  It  ought  to  be 
your  greatest  protection,  but  it  is  not  I 
would  that  your  yacht  was  in  the  river  this 
very  hour  and  that  we  could  make  haste  to 
it,  for  you  are  in  greater  danger  than  you 
suspect." 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

[E  cheek  of  the  American  blanched, 
and  she  looked  earnestly  at  her 
friend,  as  if  she  did  not  take  in  the 
full  meaning  of  her  words.  She 
spoke  in  a  whisper : 

"Tell  me  what  you  mean." 

The  other  rose  from  her  chair,  walked 
across  the  room  to  the  closed  door,  and  turned 
the  big  key  in  the  massive  lock.  Then  she 
lifted  the  ponderous  bar  and  dropped  it  into 
place. " 

"It  may  not  be  necessary,"  she  said,  as  she 
came  back,  sat  down  and  took  the  hand  which 
she  had  released;  "for  though  some  of  the 
servants  may  be  in  the  next  room,  or  in  the 
hall  outside,  none  can  hear  what  we  say.  It 
will  do  no  harm,  however,  to  be  certain.  If 
you  could  have  your  wish  you  would  be  in 
Zalapata  tonight?" 

"Most  assuredly  I  should." 

"Because  the  Major  is  there,  but  if  he 

133 


134  tTP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

chanced  to  be  away,  your  situation  would  be 
no  better  than  at  Atlamalco." 

"I  am  certain  it  would  be  a  thousand-fold 
better." 

"I  am  afraid,  dear  friend  from  the  North, 
that  I  see  some  things  clearer  than  you ;  Gen- 
eral Bambos  is  just  as  much  infatuated  with 
your  loveliness  as  General  Yozarro." 

"But  he  has  a  wife  and  family!"  was  the 
horrified  exclamation  of  Miss  Starland. 

* '  That  makes  not  the  slightest  difference  to 
him." 

An  expression  of  unutterable  scorn  dark- 
ened the  face  of  the  American. 

"Impossible  as  it  seems,  Manuela,  I  must 
believe  you.  How  can  you  live  here?"  she 
asked  with  impulsive  disgust;  "you  cannot 
trust  any  man  in  this  country." 

"Ah,  my  dear  Warrenia,  they  are  not  all 
alike;  I  certainly  know  one  who  is  different 
from  the  two  we  have  been  talking  about." 

And  the  dark  countenance  became  delight- 
fully darker,  and  was  aglow  with  the  radiance 
of  perfect  love  and  trust. 

"I  am  glad  to  assure  you  I  believe  every 
word  you  say;  I  forgot  Captain  Ramon  Or- 
tega, the  brave  officer  and  faultless  gentle- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          135 

man,  whose  greatest  good  fortune  is  to  come 
when  he  wins  you." 

"And  his  good  fortune  will  be  no  greater 
than  mine ;  but,  Warrenia,  to  leave  the  most 
winsome  of  subjects  for  the  most  hateful, 
you  will  be  safer  at  Zalapata  with  Major  Jack, 
but  neither  of  you  will  be  secure  until  you  are 
on  the  yacht  and  beyond  reach  of  General 
Bambos,  as  well  as  of  General  Yozarro.  I 
could  almost  advise  you  to  wait  here,  and  yet 
something  whispers  it  will  not  do." 

"But  how  am  I  to  leave?  It  will  not  do  to 
attempt  the  journey  alone  to  Zalapata,  and 
what  way  is  there  of  sending  word  thither!" 

"Why  shall  we  not  have  our  ponies  brought 
up  and  ride  direct  to  the  capital?  They  are 
here  already,  with  proper  saddles.  We  can 
start  tomorrow  after  breaking  fast,  and  we 
should  reach  the  capital  by  nightfall." 

"Do  you  know  the  route?" 

i 'As  well  as  the  walks  around  the  old  Semi- 
nary, where  we  spent  the  happiest  days  of  our 
lives ;  I  have  gone  over  it  many  times  in  my 
girlhood  and  have  done  so  since  coming 
home." 

"Neither  of  us  carries  any  firearms  and  we 
must  face  danger." 


136  f p  TnE  FORKED  RIYER. 

"I  was  never  in  any  danger,  though  I  sup- 
pose there  must  be  more  or  less  of  it  I 
shouldn't  like  to  meet  a  jaguar,  tiger  cat  or 
zaratu,  but  we  might  do  so  without  any  harm 
coming  to  us." 

"  What  of  the  serpents  ?" 

"The  big  ones  are  near  the  streams  and  in 
the  marshy  country;  we  have  a  few  coral 
snakes  with  their  black  heads  and  ringed 
bodies,  but  we  are  as  safe  from  them  without 
as  with  firearms.  This  part  of  the  world  is 
not  so  much  infested  as  others.  If  I  have  no 
hesitation  in  making  the  venture  should  you 
feel  any!" 

"I  do  not;  shall  we  take  an  escort?" 

"It  would  seem  we  ought  to  do  so,  but  I  be- 
lieve it  best  to  have  none." 

"For  what  reason?" 

"They  would  be  soldiers  of  General  Yo- 
zarro." 

The  significance  of  these  words  was  not  lost 
upon  the  other,  who  hastened  to  say : 

"Let  us  go  alone." 

They  sat  communing  until  the  night  was 
far  advanced.  Their  plans  for  the  morrow 
may  be  summarized  in  what  has  been  stated. 
Both  believed  that  no  special  risk  would  be 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

run  in  venturing  upon  a  journey  of  something 
more  than  twenty  miles  by  daylight,  without 
firearms  or  escort.  As  a  rule,  strangers  had 
little  to  fear  in  passing  through  any  section  of 
either  republic,  and  there  were  several  native 
huts  along  the  trail,  where  the  Senorita  had 
obtained  refreshment  and  secured  lodging  on 
some  of  the  journeys  that  were  begun  too  late 
in  the  day  to  be  completed  before  nightfall. 
Although  she  was  always  in  the  company  of 
others,  it  was  not  on  account  of  any  misgiving 
or  fear  on  her  part. 

Very  rarely  or  never  was  a  wheeled  vehicle 
seen  either  in  Zalapata  or  Atlamalco,  and  the 
connecting  roads  were  naturally  no  more  than 
simple  trails ;  but  all  of  these  were  so  clearly 
marked  that  there  was  no  cause  for  even  a 
stranger  losing  his  way.  While  the  bifurca- 
tion of  the  river  made  the  water  communica- 
tion between  the  republics  more  convenient, 
many  preferred  the  overland  journey.  The 
ride  through  the  craggy  mountains,  whose 
width  may  be  roughly  given  as  less  than  half 
a  dozen  miles,  was  romantic  and  easy  enough 
when  made  on  the  back  of  a  horse. 

The  strange,  disturbing  situation  in  which 
Miss  Starland  found  herself  kept  her  awake 


138  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

long  after  the  gentle  breathing  of  her  friend 
at  her  side  told  her  she  was  unconscious.  The 
conditions  were  so  singular  and  so  alarming 
that  at  times  she  was  mystified  and  doubted 
the  wisdom  of  the  course  they  had  decided 
upon.  She  could  not  believe  that  the  path 
was  as  free  from  danger  as  the  Senorita  sup- 
posed. None  the  less,  she  was  resolved  to 
make  the  venture.  There  was  one  comforting 
feature  about  it  all :  if  they  were  followed  and 
brought  back  under  some  pretext  by  the  sol- 
diers of  General  Yozarro,  no  unpleasant  con- 
sequences would  result  therefrom  to  them. 
The  man  would  be  ready  with  some  plausible 
justification  of  his  course,  but  would  be  as 
effusive  in  his  courtesy  as  ever.  Finally  the 
sorely  troubled  one  slept. 

Neither  awoke  until  the  sunlight  streamed 
through  the  narrow  windows,  and  then  the 
two  were  roused  by  the  knocking  on  the  outer 
door,  and  the  call  of  Juanita  that  she  was 
waiting  with  their  food.  She  was  admitted 
and  the  meal  on  the  broad  silver  tray  was  set 
on  the  stand  in  the  middle  of  the  apartment. 
Nothing  could  have  been  more  appetizing,  in 
that  smothering  climate,  consisting  as  it  did 
wholly  of  fruit,  and  delicious  cocoa,  includ- 


ADVENTURES  IX   SOUTH  AMERICA.         139 

ing  prepared  rice,  mandioc  and  cassava,  the 
last  being  the  most  popular  food  in  that  part 
of  the  world. 

Juanita  having  left  the  meal,  co-irtesied, 
called  down  the  blessings  of  the  saints  upon 
the  visitors,  and,  assuring  them  that  it  would 
be  her  happiness  to  come  whenever  wanted 
and  to  act  the  part  of  slave  all  her  life  to 
them,  went  away,  and  once  more  our  friends 
were  alone.  The  Senorita  did  not  fasten  the 
door,  for  there  was  no  call  to  do  so,  and  in  due 
time,  the  two  drew  up  their  chairs  and  par- 
took of  the  food  with  the  zest  of  youth  and 
health.  There  was  abundance  for  both  and 
they  fully  enjoyed  it.  By  and  by,  Juanita  re- 
turned and  removed  the  remains  of  the  re- 
past. 

Miss  Starland  walked  to  each  of  the  narrow 
windows  in  turn  and  gazed  out  over  the  sur- 
rounding country.  One  of  the  openings  gave 
a  view  of  the  Rio  Rubio,  as  it  wound  to  the 
eastward,  until  its  reunion  and  onward  flow 
to  the  Atlantic.  She  descried  a  catboat  lean- 
ing far  over  and  skimming  up  stream  toward 
Atlamalco,  and  a  canoe,  in  which  were  two 
natives,  was  observed,  as  one  of  the  occupants 
swung  his  paddle  like  an  American  Indian  and 


J40  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

drove  the  tiny  craft  toward  the  northern 
shore.  But  as  her  vision  roved  up  and  down 
the  river,  she  failed  to  see  that  for  which  she 
longed  -bove  everything  else.  The  yacht 
which  kid  brought  her  to  this  part  of  the 
world  was  still  absent.  In  neither  direction 
could  she  catch  a  glimpse  of  Atlamalco  or 
Zalapata.  The  other  window  opened  to  the 
south,  or  toward  the  mountains,  where  the 
view  had  no  interest  for  her. 

As  she  had  done  before,  she  remarked  upon 
the  massiveness  of  the  walls  and  the  straitness 
of  the  window  openings. 

''They  are  so  narrow  that  we  could  not 
force  ourselves  through. ' ' 

"Our  old  buccaneer  friend  must  have  had 
them  made  thus  on  purpose.  Suppose  some 
of  those  who  hated  him— which  means  all  the 
others— should  have  become  strong  enough  to 
clamber  up  the  walls  on  the  outside,— was  it 
not  well  to  make  it  impossible  for  them  to 
enter  the  Castle?" 

The  matter,  however,  was  of  slight  interest 
to  our  friends  and  they  hurried  their  prepara- 
tions for  the  journey.  The  Senorita  donned 
her  hat  and  led  the  way  down  the  steps  to  the 
outside.  To  both  it  looked  as  if  the  number 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         141 

of  guards  had  been  increased  during  the 
night,  for  more  than  a  dozen  were  in  sight, 
without  regarding  those  who  had  lain  down 
to  rest.  The  young  women  were  saluted  by 
all  as  they  appeared,  and  the  soldiers  whom 
they  recognized  as  their  escort  of  the  night 
before,  came  forward  to  learn  their  wishes. 

''Carlos,  the  ponies  that  brought  us  here 
are  still  with  you? " 

"They  are,  Senorita." 

"Have  them  saddled  and  brought  out;  we 
are  to  ride  to  Zalapata  today,  and  wish  to 
make  an  early  start." 

The  man  removed  his  hat,  bowed  and  spoke 
with  the  utmost  respect: 

"I  am  grieved  not  to  hasten  to  comply  with 
your  commands;  but  we  have  orders  from 
General  Yozarro  that  the  senoritas  are  to  re- 
main here  till  he  comes,  which  will  be  in  a 
few  hours,  I  think.  It  fills  my  heart  with  sor- 
row, but  as  a  soldier,  the  Senorita  knows  that 
no  choice  is  left  to  me." 

And  this  time,  he  made  two  obesiances,— 
one  for  each  of  the  dumfounded  young  wo- 
men. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

TJHE  two  looked  at  each  other  in  speech- 
I  less  amaze.  This  was  a  direct  inter- 
ference with  their  personal  freedom, 
the  first  either  had  known. 

The  Senorita  was  the  first  to  find  speech. 
Addressing  the  soldier,  she  said : 

"You  say  this  is  the  order  of  General  Yoz- 
arro?" 

"'Were  it  not,  I  should  not  dare  utter  the 
words." 

* '  What  is  his  reason  for  the  command  I '  * 

It  was  essentially  a  feminine  question,  but 
the  soldier  did  not  hesitate  with  the  reply : 

"War  impends  between  Zalapata  and  At- 
lamalco ;  we  are  expecting  at  almost  any  hour 
an  attack  upon  Castillo  Descanso;  the  Seno- 
rita observes  the  armed  force  that  has  been 
placed  here  by  General  Yozarro;  he  cannot 
allow  the  senoritas  the  danger  of  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  perfidious  General  Bambos 
and  his  barbarians." 

142 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.         143 

It  was  on  the  tongue  of  Miss  Starland  to 
declare  that  she  would  prefer  a  hundred  times 
that  eventuality  to  remaining  in  charge  of  the 
Atlamalcans,  but  instead,  her  companion  said 
what  was  in  the  minds  of  both : 

' '  The  order  of  General  Yozarro  may  apply 
to  me,  but  cannot  apply  to  my  friend  who 
owes  no  allegiance  to  Atlamalco  or  Zalapata. 
She  comes  from  the  Great  Republic  of  the 
North,  and  no  one  elsewhere  has  the  right  to 
say  yea  or  nay  to  her. ' ' 

"It  distresses  me  very  much,  Senorita 
Estacardo,  that  special  weight  was  laid  by 
General  Yozarro  upon  the  order  as  affecting 
la  Americana." 

And  looking  toward  the  latter,  he  again  re- 
moved his  hat  and  bowed  low,  instead  of  con- 
tenting himself  with  the  military  salute  that 
would  have  been  the  proper  thing  under  the 
circumstances.  The  soldier  was  above  the 
ordinary  native  in  intelligence. 

His  words  showed  the  futility  of  further 
argument.  Without  a  word,  but  throwing 
back  her  head  with  a  scornful  gesture,  the 
Senorita  nodded  to  her  friend  to  accompany 
her  back  into  the  gloomy  building.  Silently 
and  slowly  the  two  went  up  the  sloping  stone 


144  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

steps  and  re-entered  the  room  which  they  had 
left  a  few  minutes  before.  The  Senorita 
locked  the  door  and  the  two  faced  each  other. 
"What  do  you  make  of  it,  Manuela!" 
"Only  one  thing  can  be  made  of  it;  it  is  as 
I  said;  General  Yozarro  is  determined  you 
shall  remain  here  for  some  time  to  come  and 
he  gives  no  more  thought  to  the  foolhardiness 
of  his  action  than  if  he  were  a  child  too  young 
to  walk." 

"What  of  the  story  of  a  war  between  the 
republics  1 ' ' 

"I  do  not  believe  a  word  of  it." 
' '  Meantime,  what  are  we  to  do  ?" 
"Sit  down,  fold  our  hands  and  be  good; 
but,"  she  added  with  a  flash  of  her  eyes,  "that 
is  the  last  thing  to  do ;  I  long  to  meet  my  nncle 
face  to  face.    It  is  the  first  time  he  ever  of- 
fered such  an  insult  to  the  daughter  of  his 
dead  sister  and  to  her  friend.    I  hope  he  will 
not  delay  his  coming. ' ' 

"I  wish  to  be  present  when  you  meet;  I, 
too,  shall  have  something  to  say,  which  I  do 
not  think  he  will  soon  forget." 

But  the  hours  wore  slowly  away  and  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  came  not.  Was  he  not  shrinking 
from  her  whose  fiery  temper  he  well  knew? 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.          143 

"Which  of  the  two  did  he  fear  the  most?  The 
northerner  may  have  heen  of  cooler  hlood,  hut 
her  anger,  when  once  set  aflame,  was  all  the 
more  profound.  She  abominated  the  man 
with  his  sleek  smile,  his  oily  manner  and  his 
tempestuous  profanity  when  he  thought  him- 
self beyond  her  hearing.  She  could  not  think 
that  the  other  Dictator,  with  all  his  stupidity 
and  grossness,  was  one-half  as  wicked  as  he. 
Were  she  free  to  do  so,  she  would  not  hesitate 
to  throw  herself  upon  his  protection. 

''Where  can  Jack  he?"  she  asked  after  the 
mid-day  repast,  and  when  the  two  had  talked 
over  every  phase  of  the  situation  for  the 
twentieth  time.  "  Surely  he  must  soon  learn 
of  this  and  he  will  he  quick  to  call  General 
Yozarro  to  account." 

"I  place  little  hope  on  that;  do  not  forget, 
my  dear  Warrenia,  that  the  Major  is  only 
one  man  against  hundreds." 

"But  what  of  the  yacht?" 

"It  is  many  miles  away;  no  one  can  say 
when  it  will  return;  remember,  too,  General 
Yozarro 's  gunboat." 

The  lip  of  the  American  curled  with  con- 
tempt. 

"Let  them  meet  and  it  will  be  Manila  Bay 


146  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

over  again  on  a  small  scale.  I  only  wish  Cap- 
tain Winton  knew  of  this !  He  would  sink  the 
miserable  craft  or  chase  her  to  the  foot  of 
the  Andes." 

In  the  momentary  reaction,  Senorita  Esta- 
cardo  smiled: 

"You  have  full  faith  in  your  countrymen." 

"So  have  you;  so  has  every  one  who  knows 
them,  and  who  does  not?  So  will  General 
Yozarro  and  his  barbarians,  if  they  ever  rouse 
the  anger  of  my  people.  But  why  do  we  spec- 
ulate? It  seems  we  can  do  nothing  but  wait. 
Manuel  a,  can  we  not  steal  away  when  night 
comes?" 

"I  have  asked  myself  that  question,  but  I 
cannot  see  any  hope  of  doing  it.  Neither  of 
us  can  leave  without  being  observed;  guards 
will  be  on  all  sides  and  we  shall  be  turned 
back  as  we  were  this  morning.  Let  us  go  to 
the  upper  part  of  the  Castle  and  look  over 
the  country.  It  may  avail  nothing,  but  it  will 
be  a  relief  to  this  monotony. '  ' 

They  climbed  to  the  rooms  above,  which,  as 
we  know,  were  copies  of  those  they  had  just 
left,  with  the  narrow  windows  on  all  sides. 
The  Senorita  walked  to  the  opening  on  the 
south  which  commanded  a  view  of  the  densely 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH    AMERICA.         H? 

wooded  mountains  that  stretched  clear  across 
the  island  to  the  main  branch  of  the  Rio 
Kuhio.  She  expected  to  see  nothing  in  that 
direction  of  interest  and  made  the  survey  be- 
cause her  companion  passed  to  the  windows 
on  the  north. 

' '  Come  to  me ! "  called  the  American ;  "here 
is  something  strange/' 

The  Senorita  was  at  her  side  on  the  instant. 
Looking  across  the  mile  of  rugged  country  to 
where  the  northern  stream  wound  its  way, 
they  saw  a  small  sailboat  speeding  to  the  east- 
ward, the  moderate  breeze  causing  it  to  careen 
far  to  one  side.  Its  prow  cut  the  curling  water 
and  the  foam  spread  out  like  a  fan  in  its  wake, 

"If  we  had  a  glass  we  might  study  it 
closely,"  said  Miss  Starland  regretfully,  as 
she  scrutinized  the  craft. 

"I  don't  think  there  is  anything  of  the  kind 
in  the  Castle,  but  it  can  make  little  difference. 
The  boat  is  a  strange  one  to  us,  and  whoever 
is  guiding  it  is  no  concern  of  ours." 

' '  Probably  you  are  right,  but  it  looks  to  me 
as  if  there  are  two  or  three  aboard,— ah! 
there  are  three  and  they  are  heading  toward 
shore.  They  must  land  near  where  we  left 
the  boat  last  night." 


148  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"And  what  of  that!" 

"It  looks  as  if  they  are  coming  to  the 
Castle;  they  will  soon  be  here!" 

1  ( That  does  not  seem  likely  to  me ;  the  only 
ones  whom  we  expect  are  General  Yozarro 
and  his  friends,  and  so  long  as  he  has  the 
larger  craft,  he  will  not  use  such  a  puny  boat 
as  that" 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

American  did  not  reply,  but  held 
her  gaze  upon  the  little  vessel,  whose 
curving  to  the  right  might  change 
at  any  moment ;  but  it  kept  straight 
on  under  the  propulsion  of  the  breeze  until 
hidden  from  sight  by  the  tops  of  the  trees. 
The  three  men  had  certainly  approached  land, 
though  it  could  not  be  said  they  had  left  the 
boat. 

"What  do  you  make  of  it?"  asked  Miss 
Starland. 

"Probably  three  natives  have  run  to  shore 
for  a  little  while  and  will  soon  pass  out  again 
and  continue  on  their  way." 

"Let  us  keep  watch." 

They  did  so,  and  when  an  hour  had  passed 
and  the  sun  was  low  in  the  sky,  the  craft  had 
failed  to  appear.  Far  to  the  westward,  a  thin, 
dark,  shadowy  line  lay  motionless  against  tho 
horizon,  too  far  off  to  be  identified. 

"I  think  it  is  the  smoke  of  the  gunboat," 

149 


150  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

said  the  Senorita;  "General  Yozarro  means 
to  come  to  the  Castle  over  the  same  course  we 
followed." 

They  looked  long  and  anxiously,  but  the 
horizontal  streak  of  vapor  gradually  faded 
without  bringing  the  craft  into  view.  The 
tug  had  steamed  in  the  opposite  direction,  or 
there  had  been  a  change  of  mind  and  the  fires 
were  banked  or  allowed  to  go  out. 

Miss  Starland  was  still  gazing,  hoping  and 
dreading  the  appearance  of  the  craft,  when 
her  friend  pressed  her  arm  and  asked  in  a 
hurried  undertone: 

"Do  you  see  him?" 

She  indicated  a  point  in  the  trail  no  more 
than  a  furlong  distant,  where  it  emerged 
around  a  mass  of  rocks,  between  the  Castle 
and  the  waterfall.  The  path  just  there  was  so 
narrow  as  to  permit  the  passage  of  only  a 
single  person  or  animal.  Withdrawing  her 
gaze  from  the  distance,  she  made  out  the  form 
of  a  man,  standing  at  the  curve.  He  was  mo- 
tionless, and  evidently  studying  the  Castle. 

His  dress  and  swarthy  countenance,  plainly 
visible  in  the  sunlight,  showed  that  he  was  a 
native,  who,  for  some  reason,  felt  a  peculiar 
interest  in  the  grim  structure.  He  may  have 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.         151 

stood  thus  for  some  minutes  before  the  Seno- 
rita  observed  him,  but  he  remained  for  a  brief 
while  longer,  so  stationary  that  he  might  well 
have  been  taken  for  a  figure  of  stone. 

"Do  you  know  him?"  asked  the  American. 

"Only  that  he  is  an  Atlamalcan;  he  wears 
the  blue  jacket;  that  of  the  Zalapatans  is  red, 
—the  two  tints  being  the  distinguishing  fea- 
tures of  their  uniforms;  you  observe  he  is 
dressed  the  same  as  our  guards." 

"Have  you  ever  seen  him  before?" 

"He  is  too  far  off  for  me  to  observe  his 
countenance  clearly,  but,  so  far  as  I  can  say, 
he  is  a  stranger.  I  think  he  is  a  member  of 
our  guard." 

"Why  then  is  he  not  with  them?  What  is 
his  object  in  going  out  there  and  posing  in 
that  way?" 

"I  wish  I  could  answer  your  questions. 
Perhaps  our  captain  suspects  we  are  dream- 
ing of  escape  and  he  has  sent  out  guards  to 
watch  the  Castle  from  all  sides." 

"It  seems  more  likely  to  me  that  he  came 
from  the  small  boat ;  he  may  be  a  messenger 
from  General  Yozarro." 

"If  so,  his  action  is  inexplicable.    If  a  mes- 


152  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

senger,  he  would  hurry  to  the  Castle  and  de- 
liver his  message." 

"Perhaps  he  has  done  so  and  is  going 
away." 

While  all  was  conjecture,  the  man  moved. 
It  was  then  noted  that  he  carried  no  gun 
though  he  doubtless  had  smaller  weapons. 
He  turned  slowly  about,  facing  the  other  way, 
strode  a  dozen  steps  or  so  and  then  passed 
from  sight.  Thinking  he  might  appear  again 
the  two  watched  the  spot  for  the  following 
half  hour,  during  which  he  was  not  seen  again. 
Then,  looking  in  the  direction  of  Atlamalco 
they  were  unable  to  detect  any  trace  of  the 
finger  of  smoke  which  had  faded  out  and 
which  they  thought  might  come  to  view  again. 

1 '  General  Yozarro  may  have  sailed  further 
up  the  river,"  suggested  the  Senorita. 

' '  AVhat  could  he  hope  to  accomplish  by  that, 
except  to  run  away  from  General  Bambos?" 

"He  may  turn  into  the  main  stream,  where 
it  bifurcates,  and  come  down  to  the  junction, 
when  he  can  steam  up  to  Zalapata." 

"Let  us  stop  speculating  about  him.  Just 
now  I  am  more  interested  in  the  stranger,  and, 
as  sure  as  I  live,  there  he  is  again !" 

The  brief  twilight  was  already  closing  in, 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.         153 

when  the  form  of  a  man— presumably  the  one 
whom  they  had  already  noted— came  into 
view  at  the  point  where  he  was  first  observed. 
Instead  of  pausing  as  before,  he  continued  to 
advance  toward  the  plateau  on  which  stood 
the  Castle.  His  pace  was  an  ordinary  one, 
showing  neither  haste  nor  hesitation.  It  was 
a  striking  proof  of  the  shortness  of  the  tropi- 
cal twilight  that  although  the  flickering  figure 
steadily  drew  nearer,  it  as  steadily  grew  more 
indistinct.  When  his  head  and  shoulders  rose 
over  the  edge  of  the  plateau,  it  was  almost 
impossible  to  see  his  countenance,  though  no 
doubt  remained  that  he  was  an  Atlamalcan 
soldier.  A  little  closer  approach  and  he  was 
hidden  from  the  sight  of  the  watchers  in  the 
upper  story. 

The  interior  was  now  so  dark  that  they  de- 
scended to  where  the  lamp  supported  by  the 
bracket  at  the  side  of  the  wall,  was  lighted. 
At  the  same  moment,  the  knock  of  the  servant 
Juanita  sounded,  and  she  brought  their  even- 
ing meal.  The  Seiiorita  questioned  her  and 
she  said  that  a  soldier  had  just  arrived  and 
was  talking  to  Captain  Navarro  of  the  guard, 
but  she  knew  nothing  of  his  errand. 

The  two  friends  were  in  a  flutter,  and, 


154  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

tarrying  only  long  enough  to  partake  slightly, 
they  hastened  to  their  lookout.  They  waited 
and  looked  for  a  considerable  time,  hut  saw 
nothing  of  the  stranger  in  whom  they  were 
so  much  interested. 

When  it  had  become  wholly  dark,  they 
passed  to  the  living  apartment,  which  was 
moderately  illuminated  by  the  lamp.  The 
gloom  outside  would  continue  until  the  moon 
appeared,  when  the  light  would  be  as  vivid 
almost  as  mid-day. 

Suddenly  some  one  knocked  on  the  door. 
The  peculiar  sound  showed  that  it  was  not  a 
servant  claiming  admission.  Senorita  Esta- 
cardo  sprang  up,  turned  the  key  and  drew 
open  the  massive  structure  for  a  few  inches. 
Then  she  recoiled  at  sight  of  the  soldier  in 
the  blue  jacket  standing  before  her,  bowing 
low  with  hat  in  hand. 

After  his  "buenas  noches,"  he  uttered  the 
amazing  words : 

"I  have  come  for  the  American  Senorita." 

"Who  are  you?" 

He  stepped  softly  inside,  pushed  the  door 
shut  and  placed  his  finger  to  his  lips  as  a 
warning  for  them  to  be  cautious.  The  young 
women  were  frightened  by  his  presumption, 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH    AMERICA.          155 

and  the  Senorita  was  about  to  command  him 
to  leave,  when,  bowing  low,  he  handed  a  slip 
of  paper  to  her. 

"It  is  for  the  other  Senorita,*'  he  explained. 

The  wondering  young  woman  took  the 
paper  and  handed  it  to  her  friend,  who  had 
come  forward.  Moving  a  little  aside,  so  as 
to  stand  under  the  lamp,  she  saw  her  name 
pencilled  on  the  outside  in  a  familiar  hand- 
writing, and  unfolding  the  slip,  she  read: 

"You  can  trust  the  bearer  fully;  he  is  our 
friend;  do  exactly  as  he  tells  you,  and  do  it 
quickly,  for  there  is  not  a  moment  to  lose. 
"JackStarland." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

T  WILL  be  recalled  that  the  catboat, 
in  which  Major  Jack  Starland  was 
descending  the  river  in  company 
with  Captain  Guzman  and  the 
Atlamalcan  deserter,  Martella,  landed  them 
at  the  spot  where  the  young  women  had  left 
the  tug  the  night  before,  the  cause  for  which 
action  on  their  part  has  been  made  clear. 
This  took  place  early  in  the  afternoon,  and, 
under  the  guidance  of  Martella,  the  three 
started  inland  over  the  trail  that  had  been  fol- 
lowed by  the  two  ponies  less  than  four  and 
twenty  hours  before. 

While  all  doubt  of  the  presence  of  his  sister 
at  the  Castle  had  been  removed,  the  young 
American  officer  did  a  big  lot  of  thinking 
when  tracing  the  path  through  the  mountains. 
He  felt  certain  that  when  General  Yozarro 
sent  the  two  thither  under  escort,  he  had  ar- 
ranged to  prevent  their  leaving  until  it  should 
suit  his  pleasure.  It  followed,  therefore,  that 
156 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          157 

despite  the  outrage,  it  was  necessary  for  Star- 
land  to  act  with  great  prudence.  He  had  only 
two  companions  and  he  placed  little  reliance 
on  the  Atlamalcan.  To  attempt  to  bluff  mat- 
ters with  such  an  insignificant  force  would  be 
the  height  of  folly.  One  man-of-war  from  the 
United  States  would  find  it  child's  play  to 
blow  these  miserable  little  republics  off  the 
face  of  the  earth,  and  when  his  government 
should  be  appealed  to,  it  would  be  certain  to 
bring  down  a  heavy  hand  upon  the  offenders ; 
but  days  and  weeks  must  pass  before  that 
could  be  brought  about,  and  there  was  no  say- 
ing what  deviltry  would  be  wrought  in  the 
meantime.  If  ever  there  was  call  for  hurry 
and  the  display  of  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent 
it  was  now. 

When  therefore  the  three  drew  near  the 
plateau  on  which  the  Castle  stood,  the  Major 
said: 

"You  and  I,  Captain,  will  wait  here  while 
Martella  goes  forward  and  learns  how  the 
land  lies." 

"If  the  senoritas  are  restrained  of  their 
liberty  by  only  five  or  six  Atlamalcans,  why 
should  we  hesitate?" 

"  We  shall  not,  if  such  proves  to  be  the  fact; 


158  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

but  if  there  are  more,  it  is  not  well  to  attack 
until  that  is  the  only  means  left  It  will  be 
little  trouble  for  Martella  to  learn  the  truth." 

"Do  you  mean  that  he  shall  make  himself 
known?" 

"If  necessary;  what  objection  is  there  to 
that?" 

"He  is  a  deserter  from  the  service  of  Gen- 
eral Yozarro,  who  will  show  him  no  mercy 
if  he  once  lays  hand  on  him. ' ' 

"It  cannot  be  generally  known  as  yet;  I 
understand  he  merely  came  away  with  you, 
as  if  for  a  visit;  he  will  be  safe  for  several 
days.  Such  is  my  view;  am  I  right,  Mar- 
tella?" 

"Perhaps  so,  but  I  am  not  afraid  of  the 
risk." 

"I  do  not  wish  you  to  run  into  unnecessary 
danger,  but  you  need  no  instruction  from  me ; 
make  all  haste." 

The  native  strode  from  them  at  an  even 
pace  until  he  was  shut  from  sight  by  the  bend 
in  the  trail.  We  know  what  he  then  did.  He 
did  not  think  it  wise  to  reveal  himself  at  the 
time  and  made  his  reconnoissance  therefore 
from  a  distance.  It  did  not  take  him  long  to 
learn  that  the  Castle  was  guarded  by  a  dozen 


ADVENTURES  IX  SOUTH  AMERICA.         159 

men  at  least  and  probably  by  more.  This  was 
reported  to  his  friends  on  his  return. 

"That  puts  a  different  face  on  matters," 
was  the  comment  of  the  American;  "it  would 
be  madness  to  attack  such  a  force  when  we 
have  only  one  rifle  among  us. ' ' 

Until  now  Major  Starland  had  held  slight 
opinion  of  the  courage  and  ability  of  the  de- 
serter, but  the  latter  straightway  made  a  pro- 
posal whose  daring  fairly  took  away  his 
breath. 

"Seiior  the  Major  may  have  been  right 
when  he  said  my  desertion  would  not  be 
known  for  several  days,  but  he  mistook  when 
he  thought  I  had  made  no  mention  of  it.  I 
told  Valentin  Herrera,  the  engineer  of  the 
gunboat,  before  I  left ;  I  asked  him  to  tell  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  with  word  from  me  that  if  I  ever 
gained  a  chance  I  should  kill  him  just  as  sure- 
ly as  he  killed  my  brother.  The  engineer  prom- 
ised to  bear  the  message  to  General  Yozarro 
and  I  doubt  not  that  it  will  be  repeated  to  him 
before  the  sun  sets." 

"Martella,  you're  a  fool!" 

"Perhaps,"  replied  the  native  with  a  grin 
and  shrug;  "but  Senor  the  Major  does  not 
reflect  that  General  Yozarro  would  have  me 


160  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

shot  for  leaving  the  boat  without  his  permis- 
sion. He  can  do  no  more  with  me  than  that, 
—why  should  I  rob  myself  of  the  pleasure  of 
sending  him  an  insulting  message?" 

"In  other  words,  you  might  as  well  be  in 
for  a  sheep  as  a  lamb.  Very  well ;  have  you 
any  plan  to  offer?" 

' '  I  will  go  to  Captain  Navarro  of  the  guard 
and  tell  him  I  come  as  a  messenger  from  Gen- 
eral Yozarro,  who  is  waiting  with  the  gunboat 
to  take  the  seuoritas  to  Atlamalco,  and  he 
must  not  delay  in  obeying  the  command. ' ' 

The  American  looked  at  him  in  amazement. 

"Have  you  the  nerve  for  that,  Martella?" 

"I  await  only  your  permission." 

"I  cannot  permit  you  to  run  such  risk;  bet- 
ter that  I  should  go  myself  and  make  the  de- 
mand upon  Captain  Navarro." 

"The  captain  has  been  warned  not  to  per- 
mit any  such  thing,  on  his  life.  You  know 
that  though  General  Yozarro  may  be  aware 
I  have  left  his  service,  it  is  not  likely  to  be 
known  to  Captain  Navarro." 

"It  is  a  fearful  risk,  Martella.  You  are  a 
good  deal  braver  than  I  thought;  I  accept 
your  offer ;  but  you  have  no  acquaintance  with 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          161 

the  ladies ;  they  will  not  come  away  with 
you." 

"You  can  write  me  a  few  lines  to  hand  to 
the  American  senorita  that  will  explain  it 
all  to  her." 

Major  Starland  had  a  feeling  that  it  was 
hardly  right  to  allow  this  simple  hearted  fel- 
low to  sacrifice  himself  in  this  manner.  He 
turned  to  Captain  Guzman,  who  was  silently 
smoking  a  cigarette. 

"What  do  you  think  of  it?" 

"It  is  the  only  plan  that  will  succeed  and 
there  is  no  certainty  that  it  will  not  fail.  But 
let  it  be  tried." 

"Will  the  captain  of  the  guard  obey  a 
verbal  order  which  it  is  proposed  to  say  is 
sent  by  General  Yozarro!" 

Martella  lifted  his  shoulders. 

"  If  he  refuses  we  shall  be  no  worse  off  than 
before." 

"We  shall  not,  but  you're  likely  to  be. 
However,  here  goes!" 

He  whipped  out  his  note  book  and  hastily 
penned  the  few  lines  that  have  already  been 
revealed. 

"God  go  with  you,  Martella!    You  are  a 


163  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

valiant  man;  I  can  hardly  believe  you  will 
succeed,  but  the  need  is  desperate." 

The  deserter  quietly  shoved  the  little  fold 
of  paper  in  his  pocket,  close  to  his  terrible 
knife,  and  without  another  word  passed  up 
the  trail,  his  friends  following  him  as  far  as 
was  thought  prudent.  It  was  not  well  for 
them  to  be  seen  by  any  of  the  guard,  since  it 
must  draw  suspicion  to  the  plan. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

SiO  it  was  that  the  daring  native  came 
I  up  the  plateau,  saluted  the  first  senti- 
nel whom  he  saw,  and  brusquely  an- 
nounced that  he  had  immediate  busi- 
ness with  Captain  Navarro.  The  latter  was 
in  one  of  the  large  lower  apartments  engaged 
with  his  evening  meal.  When  word  was 
brought  to  him,  he  sprang  up  and  hastened 
outside,  where  Martella  was  standing  erect, 
like  a  true  soldier  of  the  Atlamalcan  army, 
and  saluted  him. 

"Do  you  come  from  General  Yozarro?" 
was  the  inquiry." 

"Directly  from  him,"  was  the  unblushing 
response. 

"What  are  his  commands?" 

"That  I  bring  the  American  Seiiorita  to 
him  without  delay." 

"Where  is  the  General?  I  am  expecting 
him  any  hour." 

"You  know  I  am  one  of  the  firemen  on  the 


164  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

gunboat;  it  lies  against  the  shore  where  we 
stopped  last  night  when  the  senoritas  were 
brought  here." 

This  was  the  critical  moment.  If  Captain 
Navarro  had  learned  of  the  desertion  of  Mar- 
tella,  the  life  of  the  latter  was  not  worth  a 
moment's  purchase,  but  in  reality  he  knew 
nothing  of  it.  The  Captain,  well  aware  of  the 
ferocious  temper  of  the  Dictator,  stood  in  as 
abject  awe  of  him  as  did  every  other  citizen 
of  Atlamalco.  But  as  the  two  conversed,  the 
wits  of  the  officer  gradually  returned  to  him. 

"Where  is  the  escort  of  the  Senorita?" 

"Standing  before  you." 

"You  do  not  come  alone?" 

"I  do-" 

'  *  But  how  is  it  the  General  himself  does  not 
come?" 

"Perhaps  the  Captain  would  like  to  put 
that  question  to  General  Yozarro." 

"I  shall  be  pleased  to  read  your  order." 

"The  only  order  I  bear  has  just  been  given 
to  you." 

"Impossible!  General  Yozarro  would 
never  do  a  thing  like  that." 

"Perhaps  you  would  like  to  say  that  also 
to  the  General.  But  I  will  save  you  the 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.          165 

trouble ;  I  will  tell  him  myself  that  you  refuse 
to  do  as  commanded." 

Martella  turned  to  move  off,  but  the  Cap- 
tain caught  his  arm. 

"No,  no,  no,  Martella!  You  must  not  do 
that ;  you  see  the  dilemma  I  am  in ;  if  I  make 
a  mistake,  it  will  cost  me  my  life." 

"It  is  with  you  whether  you  shall  make  a 
mistake  or  not;  I  have  done  my  duty." 

He  made  again  as  if  to  go,  but  the  officer 
would  not  permit  it.  The  moment  had  come 
for  Martella  to  play  his  trump  card.  The  two 
were  standing  within  hearing  of  several  sol- 
diers who,  in  accordance  with  the  loose  dis- 
cipline of  the  army,  made  no  attempt  to  hide 
that  they  were  listening.  Lowering  his  voice, 
the  messenger  said: 

"Step  aside  one  moment,  Captain;  I  have 
something  for  your  private  ear." 

When  they  were  beyond  hearing  of  the 
group,  the  soldier  spoke  in  a  guarded  voice: 

"Are  you  blind,  Captain?  Do  you  not  see 
which  way  the  wind  blows  ?  General  Yozarro 
does  not  wish  his  relative,  Senorita  Estacardo 
to  come  to  him,  because  she  would  be  trouble- 
some ;  you  know  of  some  of  the  General's  con- 
quests among  the  other  sex ;  he  is  in  love  with 


16€  DP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

the  beautiful  sefiorita  from  the  North,  but 
she  has  friends  and  he  must  protect  every 
step.  If  he  sent  you  a  written  order,  k  might 
return  to  vex  him,  when  the  relatives  of  the 
Senorita  call  upon  him  to  explain,  but*  what 
does  he  care  for  poor  devils  like  us  upon 
whom  he  will  be  able  to  lay  the  blame  of  a 
misunderstanding?  He  will  be  able  to  svear 
that  it  was  all  a  blunder  of  others.  I  respect- 
fully suggested  that  a  written  order  would  be 
asked  for  by  you,  for  you  are  an  excellent  of- 
ficer who  insists  that  everything  shall  be  done 
in  the  order  of  true  discipline.  You  know  the 
temper  of  the  General;  he  swore  at  me  and 
declared  that  if  you  dared  hesitate,  he  would 
have  you  shot.  Then  he  cooled  down  and  told 
me  to  explain  if  you  asked  questions.  I  have 
done  so,  when  in  the  case  of  another  officer 
whom  he  esteemed  less,  the  favor  would  have 
been  refused. " 

"You  relieve  me  inexpressibly  by  your 
words,  though  I  must  look  upon  it  as  strange 
that  you  come  alone.  I  am  curious  to  know 
what  you  will  say  to  la  Americana,  if  she  re- 
fuses to  go  with  you,  as  she  is  almost  sure 
to  do." 

"Do  you  think  the  General  has  forgotten 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA.          167 

anything?  Is  he  not  too  much  of  a  veteran 
in  the  affairs  of  the  heart!  I  am  to  tell  the 
Senorita  that  her  brother  is  waiting  on  the 
gunboat  to  receive  her;  she  started  last  night 
for  Zalapata  to  meet  him,  and  she  is  impatient 
over  the  delay.  Yon  must  be  snre  she  will 
hasten  to  obey  the  request." 

Captain  Navarro  was  not  wholly  free  from 
misgiving. 

"I  can  understand  that  the  General  may 
have  reasons  of  his  own  for  not  coming  him- 
self for  the  Senorita,  but  I  do  not  understand 
why  her  brother  does  not  hasten  to  her. ' ' 

* '  Heard  you  not  that  he  was  ill  with  fever 
and  needs  his  sister  to  nurse  him?" 

For  the  first  time  in  the  interview  the  Cap- 
tain laughed. 

"I  beg  you,  Martella,  not  to  hint  to  the 
General  how  stupid  I  was." 

"Be  assured  I  shall  not.  You  know  how 
many  things  we  see  which  we  must  not  see, 
and  of  late  I  have  had  many  chances  to  view 
such  things  on  the  gunboat.  I  shall  say  to  the 
General  that  you  were  as  prompt  and  obedient 
as  you  always  are  to  do  his  bidding,  and  tLat 
he  has  no  better  officer  in  his  army  than  you." 

"And  you  shall  not  be  forgotten,  Martella; 


168  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

I  will  order  the  horse  saddled  for  the  Seiio- 
rita." 

Each  minute  added  to  the  tension  of  the 
situation.  Martella  did  not  doubt  that  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  was  on  the  way  to  the  Castle, 
and  more  than  likely  was  quite  near.  He  was 
likely  to  arrive  at  any  moment.  He  glanced 
stealthily  around,  determined,  if  he  saw  him 
or  any  of  his  escort,  to  make  a  break  for  it, 
with  the  chances  a  hundred  to  one  against 
saving  his  neck. 

Every  nerve  was  tugging  for  haste,  yet  the 
first  sign  of  impatience  would  ruin  every- 
thing. He  wished  inexpressibly  that  the 
young  woman  should  appear  and  that  they 
could  start  at  once  without  waiting  for  the 
pony.  But  that,  from  the  nature  of  the  cir- 
cumstances, could  not  be.  With  superb  cool- 
ness and  courage,  he  said : 

"  While  the  horse  is  preparing,  I  will  go 
and  ask  her  to  make  ready ;  I  hope, ' '  he  added 
with  a  light  laugh,  "that  she  will  not  ask  too 
many  questions.  Where  shall  I  find  her?" 

"The  room  of  the  Senoritas  is  in  the  second 
story  facing  the  north;  a  light  is  burning 
within." 

Without  any  injunction  to  the  Captain  to 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          1G9 

make  haste,  Martella  saluted,  and  walked  de- 
liberately into  the  building,  where  no  ques- 
tions were  asked,  since  he  had  been  seen  in 
converse  with  the  officer  and  no  one  doubted 
that  he  came  direct  from  General  Yozarro. 

Suppose,  what  was  quite  likely,  that  sus- 
picion should  again  enter  the  brain  of  the 
Captain,  when  he  gained  time  to  think  over 
the  extraordinary  situation?  Suppose,  what 
was  also  likely,  that  General  Yozarro  should 
arrive  while  the  bogus  messenger  was  inside 
the  Castle?  He  would  be  caught  like  a  rat 
in  a  trap. 

And  yet  knowing  all  these  things,  Martella 
gave  not  the  first  evidence  of  hurry.  He  went 
up  the  stone  steps  with  dignified  tread, 
knocked  at  the  right  door,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  apartment,  where,  as  we  know,  he  ex- 
plained to  the  two  young  women  the  remark- 
able errand  on  which  he  had  come. 


CHAPTER  XXH. 

Tji£ERE  was  not  a  doubt  in  the  mind  of 
I  Miss  Starland  when  she  read  the  few 
pencilled  lines  handed  to  her  by  the 
deserter.  She  was  too  familiar  with 
the  handwriting  to  be  mistaken.  She  passed 
the  paper  to  her  companion. 

"You  must  not  hesitate,"  said  the  latter, 
the  moment  she  caught  its  meaning;  "go  at 
once. ' ' 

"Will  you  come  with  me!" 

"No;  I  am  not  asked  to  do  so.  I  can  be  of 
no  help,  and  I  have  nothing  to  fear  from  my 
uncle,  General  Yozarro." 

Little  preparation  was  needed.  Attired  in 
the  light,  gauzy  material  of  the  tropics,  it  only 
remained  for  her  to  adjust  her  hat  and  to 
catch  up  the  reticule  containing  a  few  indis- 
pensable articles.  Still  she  lingered,  im- 
pressed by  the  importance  of  the  step  she  was 
about  to  take. 

170 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          171 

Martella  stood  like  a  statue,  but  the  tension 
had  become  almost  intolerable. 

1  'Shall  I  retire  till  the  Senorita  is  ready?" 
he  respectfully  asked. 

"There  is  no  necessity;  I  have  simply  to 
go  with  you." 

"May  I  then  be  permitted  to  say  that  not  a 
moment  must  be  thrown  away?  General 
Yozarro  is  expected,  and  if  we  linger  it  will 
be  too  late." 

Just  then  the  alert  ears  of  the  man  heard 
an  unusual  stir  below. 

"I  fear  he  has  come;  we  must  not  stay." 

He  lowered  his  voice  to  a  whisper  and  could 
not  repress  signs  of  agitation.  In  the  trying 
instant  he  decided  upon  his  course  of  action. 
He  would  go  down  stairs,  and  in  the  excite- 
ment, try  to  slip  outside.  Then  he  would 
make  a  dash  for  life,  with  the  chances  still  a 
hundred  to  one  against  success. 

The  friends  embraced  affectionately,  and 
the  Senorita  gently  pushed  the  other  through 
the  door  which  she  opened. 

' '  God  and  the  saints  be  with  you  I  Linger 
not  another  second." 

Martella  stepped  outside,  replaced  his  hat 
and  with  his  deliberate  walk,  led  the  way 


172  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

down  the  stairs,  which  were  dimly  lighted  by 
the  lamp  below.  Sternly  repressing  all  signs 
of  haste,  he  slipped  his  right  hand  under  his 
jacket  and  rested  it  on  the  handle  of  his  knife. 

"They  shall  have  a  fight  for  it!"  he  mut- 
tered; "if  the  General  is  within  reach,  my 
knife  shall  find  his  heart." 

But  the  flurry  that  had  startled  him  was  not 
caused  by  the  arrival  of  General  Yozarro.  It 
was  due  to  the  natural  curiosity  over  the  de- 
parture of  one  of  the  young  women,  which  had 
become  known,  when  the  saddled  pony  was 
brought  to  the  front  of  the  Castle  where  Cap- 
tain Navarro  was  waiting,  with  one  of  his 
soldiers  holding  the  bridle.  Whatever  the  of- 
ficer may  have  thought,  it  was  evident  there 
was  no  change  in  his  intentions. 

Miss  Starland  walked  lightly  forward,  fas- 
tening her  reticule  to  her  girdle,  so  as  to  leave 
her  hands  free,  bowed  to  the  Captain,  who 
snapped  off  his  hat,  replaced  it,  and,  slightly 
stooping,  took  the  tiny  foot  for  a  moment  in 
his  hand,  and  assisted  her  to  the  saddle  and 
reached  the  reins  to  her.  She  said  "Adios!" 
to  him  and  the  others  gathered  round,  whereat 
there  was  a  general  uncovering.  Martella  sa- 
luted and  with  his  former  dignified  tread, 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.          173 

walked  toward  the  edge  of  the  plateau,  in  the 
direction  of  the  trail  leading  to  the  river  from 
which  he  had  come.  The  most  wrenching  ef- 
fort of  his  life  was  to  restrain  himself  from 
breaking  into  a  lope  and  calling  upon  his 
charge  to  do  the  same  with  her  horse.  He  suc- 
ceeded by  a  supreme  effort. 

It  was  a  hundred  yards  to  the  point  where 
the  bit  of  level  land  dipped,  and  half  the  dis- 
tance was  passed,  when  Captain  Navarro 
called : 

"Stop,Martella!    Wait  I" 

Tlie  man  instantly  halted,  thrusting  his 
hand  under  his  jacket  and  closing  his  iron 
fingers  about  the  handle  of  his  weapon.  Mat- 
ters had  gone  too  far  for  any  drawing  back. 
It  was  now  to  keep  on  or  fight  to  the  death, 
for  he  had  no  doubt  that  the  officer  had 
changed  his  mind  and  meant  to  hold  both  un- 
til the  arrival  of  General  Yozarro. 

"I  will  pause  to  hear  what  he  speaks, "  he 
said  in  a  low  voice  to  the  wondering  young 
woman;  "your  horse  knows  the  trail;  keep 
on;  you  have  not  far  to  go  to  meet  your 
brother  and  his  friend." 

She  had  checked  the  pony,  but  twitched  the 
rein  and  he  walked  steadily  toward  the  dark- 


:74  tJP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

ness,  leaving  the  grim  'Atlamalcan  to  have  it 
out  with  Captain  Navarro.  The  latter  was 
approaching  fast  and  came  up  panting 
slightly  from  the  exertion. 

"Martella,  you  will  not  forget  to  remind 
General  Yozarro  that  I  was  quick  to  obey  his 
command,  as  soon  as  you  gave  it  to  me?" 

"Have  no  fear,  Captain." 

In  the  immeasurable  relief  and  the  dread  of 
awaking  distrust,  the  deserter  punished  him- 
self. Instead  of  immediately  following  his 
charge,  he  remained  facing  the  officer.  It 
seemed  wise  to  indulge  in  some  pointless  con- 
verse. 

The  Captain  looked  inquiringly  at  him,  not 
understanding  the  cause  of  his  hesitation. 

"Is  there  anything  more  you  would  say  to 
me,  Captain  f  Though  I  have  lingered  longer 
than  I  expected,  I  can  afford  a  few  more  min- 
utes." 

"No,  no,  except  to  repeat  that  you  shall  be 
remembered  by  me.  I  am  sorry  that  I  de- 
tained you ;  it  is  best  you  should  make  haste." 

"Then,  if  you  are  sure,  I  will  follow  the 
Senorita,  but  I  can  wait  a  brief  while  longer, 
Captain." 

It  was  the  latter  who  now  showed  nervous- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          175 

ness,  though  the  strain  upon  him  was  not  a 
tenth  of  what  the  other  suffered. 

"Off  with  you!  Do  you  not  see  that  you 
may  lose  the  Senorita?" 

The  pony  with  its  rider  was  passing  from 
view  below  the  margin  of  the  plateau,  and  the 
man  now  made  the  haste  that  looked  natural. 
Although  the  trail  was  easily  followed,  his 
place  was  in  advance.  While  gliding  past  the 
stirrup,  he  said : 

"We  have  been  fortunate,  Senorita,  but 
much  danger  still  threatens." 


CHAPTER 

ME  THING  prompted  Martella  to 
turn  his  head  and  look  back.  Not 
Captain  Navarro  alone,  but  two  of 
the  soldiers  had  come  to  the  head  of 
the  path  and  stood  out  in  clear  relief  in  the 
strong  moonlight,  looking  after  the  vanishing 
couple.  Martella  grimly  thought: 

"The  Captain  is  not  easy  in  his  mind,  but 
it  is  now  too  late  for  him  to  stop  me." 

A  little  way  down  the  trail,  under  the 
shadow  of  the  deep  foliage,  stood  the  two  men 
who  were  awaiting  the  coming  of  the  mes- 
senger and  young  woman.  The  time,  brief 
as  it  was,  had  been  trying  to  the  last  degree  to 
Major  Jack  Starland,  who  came  forward  into 
the  moonlight  and  approached  the  halted 
pony,  which  pricked  his  ears  and  showed  some 
timidity.  But  the  rider  readily  controlled 
him. 

"Halloa,  Jack!" 

"My  dear  Warrenia!" 

176 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         177 

He  reached  up  and  pressed  the  small  gloved 
hand  and  the  grasp  was  warmly  returned. 

"  General  Yozarro  seems  to  have  forgotten 
to  be  a  gentleman,"  she  said. 

"He  never  was  one;  if  I  ever  meet  the 
scoundrel  I  shall  slap  his  face,  if  his  whole 
army  is  looking  on." 

' '  Then  I  hope  you  will  never  meet. ' ' 

The  party  was  stationary,  though  still  near 
enough  to  the  Castle  to  justify  uneasiness. 

"Where  are  we  going,  Jack?" 

"To  the  river;  we  have  a  boat  there,  in 
which  we  shall  sail  to  Zalapata,  there  to  stay 
till  the  yacht  returns,  and  then  good  bye  to 
this  infernal  country  forever." 

' 'And  none  will  be  gladder  than  I;  but  what 
of  General  Yozarro?  Martella  told  me  he  is 
expected  every  minute  at  the  Castle." 

' '  No  one  knows  better  than  our  good  friend, 
but  what  of  it?" 

"Which  route  will  he  be  likely  to  take,— 
by  land  or  the  river?" 

The  question  did  not  seem  to  have  occurred 
to  Major  Starland,  who  turned  to  Martella 
for  an  answer." 

"I  think  he  will  come  by  the  gunboat  and 
land  where  we  did." 


UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Then  there  is  a  good  chance  of  meeting 
liim  and  his  party !" 

"Nothing  is  more  likely;  we  must  not  for- 
get to  prepare  for  them,  for  they  may  be  close 
at  hand." 

" What  do  you  suggest!" 

"I  will  walk  far  enough  in  advance  to  give 
warning.  When  I  see  or  hear  aught  of  them, 
I  will  whistle  like  this." 

He  illustrated  and  added : 

"When  that  falls  upon  your  ears,  you  will 
make  haste  to  turn  off  into  the  wood." 

"But  there  are  many  places  where  we  can- 
not turn  off,  without  taking  a  plunge  down 
a  precipice." 

"Then  run  back  till  you  find  one." 

Martella  now  strode  down  the  path,  which 
was  so  deeply  shadowed  that  he  quickly  slip- 
ped from  view. 

"With  your  permission,  Major,  I  will  fol- 
low next,  keeping  a  short  way  in  advance  of 
the  Senorita  and  the  horse.  You  may  take 
the  front  or  rear,  as  you  think  best." 

' '  I  will  keep  at  the  bridle.  I  cannot  see  that 
danger  threatens  from  the  Castle,  and  surely 
we  are  well  guarded  in  front." 

There  was  no  call  for  delay  and  the  proces- 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.         179 

sion  moved  in  the  order  named,  the  guide  be- 
ing so  well  to  the  fore  that  only  at  intervals 
was  a  glimpse  caught  of  the  shadowy  form, 
where  the  moonlight  flooded  the  winding  trail, 
which  gradually  descended  until  it  reached 
the  Rio  Rubio  to  the  northward.  The  three 
composing  the  main  party  did  not  speak,  for 
all  their  senses  were  centred  in  those  of  sight 
and  hearing.  It  had  been  in  the  mind  of  Miss 
Starland  to  propose  that  her  pony  should  be 
dismissed.  The  task  of  walking  was  nothing 
to  her,  and  the  animal  was  really  an  incum- 
brance,  but  she  saw  as  yet  no  objection  against 
utilizing  him:  the  necessity  of  parting  with 
him  might  come  at  any  time. 

Past  the  murmuring  waterfall,  along  the 
rocky  face  of  the  towering  precipice,  with  fleet- 
ing glimpses  of  the  myriad  monkeys  eternally 
flitting  through  the  tropical  forest,  with  the 
discords  of  nocturnal  animals,  and  the 
squawking  and  cries  of  disturbed  birds  of  a 
hundred  different  species,  amid  the  soft  moon- 
light and  deep  shadows,  our  friends  threaded 
their  way,  listening  and  peering  into  the 
gloom,  their  hopes  high,  and  yet  with  mis- 
giving in  every  heart. 

Half  the  distance  was  traversed,  when  the 


180  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

pony  stepped  around  a  projecting  bend  of 
the  trail,  which  sloped  abruptly  along  the  face 
of  the  mountain  wall.  Major  Starland  paused 
and  with  a  gentle  pressure  of  the  bridle  rein 
checked  the  animal. 

''Some  distance  must  be  passed  before  the 
path  broadens,"  he  said;  "I  hope  we  shall 
not  hear  Martella's  signal  when  half-way 
thither." 

Captain  Guzman  had  also  paused  as  if  with 
the  same  thought.  He  was  twenty  paces  in 
advance,  but  did  not  speak. 

" Shall  we  wait  for  a  few  minutes?"  asked 
Miss  Starland. 

' '  It  will  avail  nothing ;  the  passage  must  be 
made." 

"But  Martella  will  be  farther  away  and 
that  will  help." 

"He  may  go  so  far  that  we  shall  not  hear 
his  signal." 

Nevertheless,  they  remained  motionless  for 
a  few  minutes  until  Captain  Guzman  was  seen 
to  move  forward  again.  The  delay  was  fortu- 
nate, for  a  hundred  yards  down  the  trail,  the 
three  were  suddenly  thrilled  by  the  vibrant 
whistle,  whose  echo  came  back  from  the  oppo- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          181 

site  cliffs.  Captain  Guzman  whirled  and 
came  running  back. 

"Hurry!  Not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost!" 

The  trail  was  narrow,  but  an  expert  animal 
could  turn. 

" Don't  take  the  risk!"  commanded  the 
Major  excitedly;  "give  me  your  hand  and 
dismount. ' ' 

"I  can  do  it;  let  me  alone." 

Without  hesitation,  she  jerked  the  head  of 
the  pony  around,  so  as  to  face  the  appalling 
slope,  and,  speaking  firmly  to  him,  continued 
pulling  strongly  on  the  bit 

"It  is  madness!  You  will  both  be  carried 
over." 

But  she  gave  no  heed.  The  intelligent  ani- 
mal pressed  his  haunches  against  the  rocky 
wall,  and  began  carefully  turning.  His  four 
hoofs  were  set  close  together,  the  front  ones 
on  the  very  edge  of  the  abyss,  over  which  his 
head  projected,  and  down  which  the  dirt  be- 
gan crumbling.  The  support  of  one  hoof 
yielded  and  he  sank  partly  sideways.  The 
Major  uttered  an  angry  exclamation  and  tried 
to  snatch  his  sister  from  the  saddle.  She  re- 
sisted and  not  for  a  second  did  she  lose  her 
superb  nerve.  The  horse  saved  both  by  partly 


!82  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

rearing,  and  with  his  fore  legs  in  air  swung 
round  as  if  on  a  pivot  and  set  his  feet  down 
again  on  firm  earth,  with  his  nose  pointed 
toward  the  Castle.  She  twitched  the  rein  and 
spoke  sharply.  He  broke  into  a  gallop  up  the 
path,  with  the  indignant  officer,  running  at  his 
heels,  and  Guzman  close  behind  him. 

"  'Twas  the  maddest  folly  I  ever  saw,  but 
heavens!  what  nerve!" 

Brief  as  was  the  distance,  when  they 
reached  the  summit  of  the  trail,  Martella 
dashed  up  after  them." 

"I  saw  him!"  he  said  excitedly;  "he  came 
on  the  gunboat  and  has  several  officers  with 
him;  they  will  pass  within  a  few  minutes." 

Miss  Starland  now  took  the  hand  of  her 
brother  and  dropped  lightly  to  the  ground. 

' l  It  was  quite  interesting,  Jack :  I  hope  you 
weren't  scared." 

"My  heart  was  in  my  mouth;  I  gave  you 
up ;  if  you  had  gone  over,  it  would  have  been 
your  own  fault." 

"But  I  didn't  go  over." 

Martella  seized  the  bridle,  pulling  so  hard 
that  the  pony's  head  was  drawn  horizontal. 
A  rod  or  two  and  they  reached  the  broadening 
path  and  turned  abruptly  off  among  the  trees 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

and  undergrowth.  Where  the  vegetation  was 
so  profuse  and  dense,  a  little  way  was  suffi- 
cient to  hide  them  from  any  one  passing  over 
the  path. 

As  always,  Martella  assumed  the  lead,  the 
horse  still  reluctantly  following  with  the 
others  around  and  behind  him.  Suddenly  the 
beast  refused  to  go  farther. 

"What's  the  trouble  1"  asked  the  Major. 

"Something  has  frightened  him,"  sug- 
gested Captain  Guzman. 

The  guide  was  savagely  stamping.  Then 
he  stopped  and  tugged  again  at  the  rein.  The 
horse  dragged  back  but  allowed  himself  to  be 
drawn  a  little  farther.  All  came  to  a  pause, 
grouping  themselves  together,  where  one  was 
hardly  visible  to  the  others. 

"What  was  it?"  asked  the  Major,  in  a 
whisper,  of  Martella. 

"He  smelled  a  serpent  in  front  of  us,  and 
I  stamped  him  to  death." 

"Was  it  venomous!"  the  American  was 
prompted  to  ask. 

"I  think  it  was  a  coral  snake,  but  he  was 
not  large." 

"If  he  had  bitten  you?" 

"Pardon  me,  Major,  he  did  not." 


181  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"There  may  be  others  near  us." 
"Perhaps;  their  bite  is  sure  death;  we  must 

be  ready  to  crush  them  under  our  feet— hist ! 

here  come  General  Yozarro  and  the  officers. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

[ERE  were  six  of  them,  all  coming 
out  as  clearly  in  the  powerful  moon- 
light as  if  the  sun  were  in  the  heav- 
ens. The  stout  form  of  General 
Yozarro  was  at  the  front,  walking  at  a  mod- 
erate pace  up  the  slope. 

The  moment  he  entered  the  field  of  vision, 
Major  Starland  heard  Martella  gasp,  as  if 
catching  his  breath.  Then  the  American  felt 
a  hand  upon  his  rifle,  as  if  the  other  were  try- 
ing to  draw  it  from  his  grasp. 

"My  chance  can  never  be  better, "  whis- 
pered the  deserter. 

"I  will  not  allow  murder  to  be  done;  a 
brave  man  would  not  ask  it." 

The  native  loosened  his  straining  grip  upon 
the  weapon,  and  all  silently  peered  from  the 
gloom  at  the  procession  filing  past.  None  of 
the  spectators  spoke,  but  each  caught  the 
sounds  of  fitful  conversation  among  the  Atla- 
malcans.  No  one  could  have  been  more  gen- 

185 


]s,;  ^rP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

erous  than  the  Dictator  in  the  way  of  impre- 
cations, which  was  no  cause  for  surprise  to 
Miss  Starland. 

Until  the  purchase  of  the  tugboat,  General 
Yozarro  had  usually  passed  between  his  cap- 
ital and  the  Castle  of  Eest  on  horseback. 
Now,  however,  he  preferred  the  water  route,, 
although  it  compelled  him  to  walk  a  difficult 
mile. 

At  the  moment  when  the  rear  of  the  pro- 
cession was  opposite  our  friends,  who  were 
breathlessly  watching  from  their  hiding 
place,  the  pony  suddenly  threw  up  his  head 
and  emitted  a  resounding  whinny  that  could 
have  been  heard  a  mile  away. 

"That  means  a  fight!"  exclaimed  the 
Major,  tightening  his  grasp  on  his  rifle;  "be 
ready,  Captain  and  Martella ! ' ' 

The  moment  the  alarming  cry  echoed 
among  the  mountains,  General  Yozarro  and 
his  friends  stopped  and  stared  in  the  direction 
of  the  disturbance.  Martella  was  the  only 
one  with  the  quickness  of  resource  to  meet  the 
crisis.  In  a  twinkling,  he  slipped  the  bridle 
of  the  horse  over  his  head,  unfastened  the 
cinch  and  flung  the  saddle  to  the  ground. 
Then,  pointing  the  nose  of  the  animal  toward 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.          18Z 

the  trail,  he  gave  his  haunch  a  pinch  like  the 
nipping  of  a  fire  ant.  The  animal  responded 
with  a  snort  and  leap,  and  then  trotted  to  the 
group  who  stared  at  him  in  astonishment. 

The  Major  and  the  Captain  caught  the 
shrewdness  of  the  action.  By  driving  out  the 
horse  without  any  belongings,  he  gave  the  im- 
pression that  he  was  an  estray,  probably  crop- 
ping the  herbage,  when  disturbed  by  the  ap- 
proach of  strangers.  He  had  not  been  ridden 
long  enough  to  show  the  marks  of  bridle  or 
saddle,  unless  examined  closely,  which  was 
not  likely  to  be  the  case. 

"They  may  learn  the  truth,"  whispered 
Martella;  "be  ready!1' 

The  animal  slowed  his  pace  and  walked 
snuffing  suspiciously  to  the  waiting  company. 
When  one  of  the  officers  reached  out  to  grasp 
his  forelock,  he  flirted  his  head  away.  The 
brute  preferred  his  freedom  to  serving  a 
master. 

Some  natural  surprise  was  expressed  that 
he  should  be  wandering  alone,  so  far  from  the 
Castle,  and  the  listening  friends  heard  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  suggest  that  it  might  be  worth 
while  to  look  farther.  They  were  about  to  do 
so  when  he  changed  his  mind. 


188  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

1  'Captain  Navarro  is  not  careful  with  his 
horses:  I  must  remind  him  to  have  a  better 
care  of  my  property." 

With  this  observation,  the  General  resumed 
the  lead  and  almost  immediately  the  party 
disappeared,  vastly  to  the  relief  of  our  friends. 
Martella  waited  only  until  they  were  beyond 
sight,  when  he  led  the  way  back  to  the  trail. 

There  was  no  further  call  for  him  to  act  as 
advance  scout,  though  he  again  placed  him- 
self at  the  head  of  the  little  company.  He 
could  readily  have  captured  the  horse  and 
offered  to  do  so,  but  Miss  Starland  refused 
the  favor,  saying  it  was  a  grateful  relief  to 
walk,  after  having  been  so  long  in  doors.  Ac- 
cordingly the  pony  was  left  to  himself. 

The  situation  had  changed.  The  danger 
was  transferred  to  the  rear,  though  it  was  not 
likely  to  threaten  for  some  time  to  come. 
General  Yozarro  would  not  dream  of  the 
truth  until  he  reached  the  Castle.  There  he 
would  quickly  learn  that  the  cunning  of  the 
deserter  had  drawn  the  American  Senorita 
from  his  custody  and  probably  taken  her  be- 
yond reach.  It  would  require  less  than  an 
hour  for  him  to  go  to  Castillo  Descanso,  and 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.          189 

only  a  short  time  to  hasten  back  over  the  trail 
to  the  river. 

Would  he  do  so? 

This  was  the  question  Major  Starland 
asked  himself,  while  tramping  directly  behind 
his  sister.  Such  a  thing  would  be  so  daring 
an  outrage  that  it  seemed  improbable.  What 
excuse  could  he  offer  when  coming  into  the 
presence  of  the  two  American  visitors  for  so 
high-handed  an  interference  with  their  rights? 
Hitherto  he  had  shown  a  fulsome  obsequious- 
ness to  both,  and  acted  the  part  of  a  high-toned 
gentleman.  How  could  he  throw  off  that 
courtesy  which  seemed  a  part  of  his  nature, 
and  still  forbid  their  going  and  coming  as 
they  pleased? 

Doubtless  the  Major  would  have  convinced 
himself  that  what  he  mentally  outlined  was 
not  to  be  feared  from  the  Dictator,  except  for 
a  most  important  fact  that  obtruded  itself: 
the  presence  of  Martella,the  deserter,  with  the 
company  of  fugitives,  as  they  must  now  regard 
themselves.  That  would  justify  him  in  pur- 
suing the  ingrate  to  the  uttermost  confines  of 
his  dominion,  and  to  make  his  shelter  by  Gen- 
eral Bambos  a  casus  "belli,  especially  if  the 
message  left  with  the  engineer  of  the  tugboat 


190  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

had  been  delivered.  Acting  under  this  pre- 
text, Yozarro  would  be  able  to  bring  the 
man's  companions  within  his  power,  with  the 
opportunity  of  carrying  out  the  plans  he  had 
formed  respecting  them.  His  infatuation  had 
destroyed  his  tact,  judgment  and  sense,  of 
which  his  furnishment  had  never  been  great. 

Strange  that  one  of  the  most  likely  contin- 
gencies of  the  peculiar  situation  did  not  pre- 
sent itself  to  any  one  until  it  flashed  upon 
Major  Starland,  while  threading  the  moun- 
tain trail  and  when  near  its  termination. 
General  Yozarro 's  tugboat  must  have  come 
ashore  directly  behind  the  catboat  of  his  pred- 
ecessors. He  would  recognize  the  smaller 
craft,  and  know  that  the  American  had  gone 
to  the  Castle  to  join  his  sister,  no  doubt  with 
the  intention  of  bringing  her  away.  He 
must  have  destroyed  the  usefulness  of  the  cat- 
boat  and  thus  estopped  the  flight  of  the  fugi- 
tives by  that  means. 

While  such  action  on  his  part  would  appear 
to  have  been  certain,  yet  it  did  not  accord 
with  his  conduct  when  on  the  way  to  Castillo 
Descanso.  The  sight  of  the  pony  would  have 
told  him  the  truth,  and  he  would  have  been 
certain  to  make  an  investigation  on  the  spot. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          191 

But  that  was  not  done,  nor  was  there  anything 
in  the  words  or  manner  of  the  Atlamalcans  to 
show  that  he  held  a  suspicion  of  the  real  sit- 
uation. 

"Martella  must  have  thought  of  all  this,  yet 
he  did  not  show  it  by  word  or  act." 

Walking  briskly,  they  soon  passed  up  a 
slight  incline,  descended  another  and  arrived 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  Rio  Rubio. 
Then,  for  the  first  time,  the  officer  recalled 
that  the  trail  bifurcated  like  the  river  itself. 
One  fork  turned  to  the  right,  which  led  to 
where  the  sailboat  had  been  secured.  Without 
pausing,  Martella  turned  down  this,  and  a  few 
minutes  later  all  stood  on  the  river's  margin. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Tii£ERE  nestled  their  boat  with  no  sign 
I  of  having  been  visited  during  their 
absence.  Its  prow  was  drawn  well 
up  the  bank,  and  the  sail  lay  in  a  roll 
on  the  boom  and  at  the  foot  of  the  single  mast 
with  everything  snug.  Martella  hastily  ex- 
amined every  portion  of  the  hull,  stepping 
into  the  water  to  do  so,  and  finally  said  with  a 
grin: 

"None  of  them  saw  it." 
"That  is  better  fortune  than  I  expected. 
Providence  has  been  kind  to  us,  but  where  is 
their  boat,  Martella?" 

They  listened  for  the  blowing  off  of  steam, 
but,  save  for  the  never  silent  sounds  from  the 
forest  and  jungle,  all  was  silent. 

"It  is  not  far  away;  General  Yozarro  made 
the  landing  above  and  passed  up  the  other 
trail  to  where  it  joins  this  one.  It  was  lucky, 
for,  had  he  come  here,  as  he  did  last  night,  he 
must  have  seen  our  boat.  He  would  have 
192 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.          193 

crippled  it,  and  when  he  met  the  horse  along 
the  trail,  he  would  have  known  we  were  near. 
There  is  no  need  of  undue  haste,  and  if  you  do 
not  care,  I  will  visit  the  gunboat." 

"Are  you  not  running  great  risk?" 

' '  The  only  ones  there  are  the  engineer  and 
two  firemen;  I  have  nothing  to  fear  from 
them." 

"You  have  my  permission." 

The  vegetation  and  foliage  were  so  intricate 
that,  instead  of  taking  the  shorter  distance,  the 
native  loped  back  over  the  trail  to  the  forking, 
and  then  went  down  the  other  to  the  river's 
edge.  As  he  expected,  he  found  the  tug  lying 
against  the  shore.  In  a  country  where  wood 
is  superabundant  and  coal  almost  unknown, 
the  former  was  used  exclusively  on  the  craft. 
A  large  quantity  was  always  piled  at  the 
front,  some  of  the  kinds  belonging  to  the  most 
valuable  exports,  with  such  a  close  grain  that 
it  gave  out  as  fervid  heat  as  the  mineral  itself. 
Instead  of  maintaining  a  high  pressure  of 
steam,  the  engineer  allowed  it  to  sink.  The 
return  of  General  Yozarro  was  not  looked  for 
under  several  hours,  and  with  so  much  resin- 
ous wood  at  hand,  the  furnace  could  be  quick- 
ly fired  up.  It  was  a  saving  all  round  to  let 


1J>4  UP  THE  FORKED  RITER. 

the  steam  moderate,  which  explains  why  our 
friends  heard  nothing  of  the  craft  sleeping 
less  than  thirty  rods  away. 

Despite  the  confidence  of  Martella,  he  knew 
his  venture  was  not  wholly  free  from  risk, 
and  in  the  face  of  his  comradeship  with  the 
crew,  it  was  not  unlikely  that  they  would  seek 
to  win  the  good  will  of  the  Dictator  by  deliver- 
ing the  deserter  to  him.  If  there  were  others 
beside  the  engineer  and  firemen  on  board,  it 
would  be  imprudent  to  the  last  degree  to  en- 
trust himself  to  them.  He  therefore  spent 
considerable  time  in  reconnoitering. 

Moving  stealthily  here  and  there,  and  peer- 
ing out  from  the  shadows,  he  soon  made  out 
the  form  of  a  man  seated  on  the  gunwale  at 
the  front,  doubtless  in  quest  of  coolness.  He 
was  smoking  a  cigarette  and  something  in  his 
appearance  was  so  familiar  that  the  deserter 
called,  in  a  guarded  voice : 

"Valentin,  is  that  you?" 

The  man  looked  sharply  around  and  re- 
moved the  cigarette  from  between  his  lips. 

"Martella !"  he  replied  in  the  same  careful 
voice. 

"Who  else  is  on  the  boat?" 

"Only  Juarez  and  Dominguez." 


ADVEOTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          195 

He  had  mentioned  the  names  of  the  two 
firemen. 

' ' Is  it  safe  for  me  to  join  you  in  a  smoke? ' ' 

"For  a  little  while  only/' 

Martella  came  out  in  the  moonlight,  moved 
softly  up  the  plank  which  connected  the  hoat 
with  the  shore,  and  seating  himself  beside  his 
old  acquaintance,  lit  a  cigarette.  They  talked 
for  some  minutes,  as  if  no  cloud  had  come  be- 
tween them,  and  then  the  visitor,  heeding  the 
warning  of  the  engineer,  bade  him  good  bye 
and  hurried  back  to  his  friends,  who  were  be- 
coming impatient  over  his  absence. 

Major  Starland  and  the  others  noted  that 
the  deserter  was  in  high  spirits,  but  no  one 
could  understand  why  this  should  be  the  case. 

" It  is  as  I  thought,"  said  Martella;  "the 
gunboat  landed  General  Yozarro  and  the  of- 
ficers who  have  gone  to  the  Castle. " 

"We  knew  that  before." 

"And  he  did  not  dream  of  the  presence  of 
our  boat  so  near.  Things  would  have  been 
different  had  he  known  it." 

"I  may  add,  Martella,  that  that  information 
is  not  new  to  us." 

"But  some  things  are  new.    The  only  ones 


19G  TIP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

on  the  boat  are  the  engineer  and  two  firemen. 
There  will  be  no  trouble  about  it." 

''Trouble  about  what?" 

"Capturing  the  boat;  the  crew  will  make  no 
resistance,  for  it  is  not  intended  that  they  shall 
do  any  fighting.  If  they  do,  we  can  defeat 
them  easily." 

"So  you  have  a  plan  for  capturing  that  old 
tug  of  General  Yozarro !  What  do  you  think 
of  it,  Captain  1" 

' '  It  can  be  done  with  little  trouble  as  Mar- 
tella  says.  I  was  thinking  of  the  same  thing 
while  he  was  away.  It  would  be  a  fine  trick 
to  play  on  General  Yozarro." 

"And  I  should  be  glad  to  help,  but  it  will 
not  do." 

"Why  not?" 

"Despite  what  General  Yozarro  said,  the 
two  republics  are  not  at  war.  If  they  were, 
the  capture  would  make  your  fortune.  As  it 
is,  it  would  bring  your  ruin.  General  Bam- 
bos  would  be  obliged  not  only  to  disavow  the 
act,  but  to  punish  you  for  the  offence." 

"I  was  thinking,"  said  Martella,  "that  per- 
haps the  Major  would  be  willing  to  take  the 
responsibility." 

"I  admit  that  the  temptation  is  strong,  and, 


ADVENTURES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.          197 

were  not  Miss  Starland's  interests  at  stake, 
nothing  would  please  me  more  than  to  capture 
that  wheezy  tug  and  scuttle  it,  but  it  may 
bring  unpleasant  consequences  to  her  and 
therefore  is  not  to  be  thought  of." 

Captain  Guzman  said  these  words  were 
wise,  and  Martella  was  compelled  reluctantly 
to  accept  the  situation,  though  it  irked  him. 
The  sail  of  the  boat  was  hoisted,  Miss  Star- 
land  was  given  a  seat  at  the  stern,  and  the 
men  united  to  shove  the  craft  into  deeper 
water. 

1 ' There  is  little  wind,"  observed  the  Cap- 
tain, "but  it  is  favoring  and  we  ought  to  be  at 
Zalapata  soon  after  daylight." 

The  two  natives  placed  themselves  at  the 
bow,  and  the  Major  as  usual,  took  charge 
of  the  tiller,  thus  bringing  himself  close  to  his 
sister.  The  wooded  shore  so  blanketed  the 
catboat,  that  Martella  took  up  a  pole  to  push 
the  craft  out  into  the  stream.  Soon,  enough 
impulse  caught  the  sail  to  give  headway,  and 
they  moved  slowly  out  toward  the  middle  of 
the  river.  Martella  laid  down  the  pole,  and 
seated  himself,  still  grinning. 

"Major,  I  have  pleasing  news  for  you,"  he 
chuckled. 


198  UP  THE  FORKED  RlVfcR. 

"I  am  listening." 

"The  engineer  gave  my  message  to  General 
Yozarro." 

"He  did!  It  is  fortunate  for  you  that  yon 
and  he  did  not  meet." 

"More  fortunate  for  him  than  for  we,"  was 
the  significant  comment. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

TJHE  sailboat  crept  slowly  out  into  the 
I  middle  of  the  river,  the  breeze  being 
so  light  that  only  a  faint  rippling 
was  heard  at  the  bow,  and  the  craft 
hardly  answered  her  helm.  Major  Starland 
had  noted  that  the  wind  was  not  favorable, 
and  he  was  compelled  to  tack  toward  the 
northern  shore.  He  ran  close  in  and  was 
cheered  by  a  freshening  of  the  breeze  which 
added  perceptibly  to  the  speed. 

"At  this  rate,"  said  his  sister,  "we  shall 
not  reach  Zalapata  till  tomorrow  is  well  ad- 
vanced." 

"It  cannot  matter,  for  there  is  no  special 
need  of  haste."  . 

"Suppose,  when  General  Yozarro  returns, 
he  pursues  us?" 

"  It  is  not  impossible ;  it  will  be  easy  for  him 
to  overhaul  such  a  slow-sailing  boat  as  this, 
but  he  dare  not  offer  us  harm.  Are  we  not 
free  born  Americans,  and  will  not  our  govern- 
ment be  quick  to  punish  such  an  offence?" 

.   199 


200  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

*  *  You  must  not  forget  that  the  South  Amer- 
ican is  an  idiot,  for,  had  he  not  been,  he  would 
not  have  dared  to  forbid  my  leaving  the 
Castle." 

' '  Since  a  long  sail  is  before  us,  why  not  let 
me  adjust  a  couch  for  you  to  sleep?" 

"Sleep!  As  if  I  could  sleep  at  such  a 
time  as  this !  I  had  all  I  needed  last  evening 
when  in  prison." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Captain  Guzman 
and  Martella  were  seated  at  the  bow,  facing 
those  at  the  stern.  Thus  the  moonlit  river  be- 
yond was  in  clear  view,  and  the  sombre,  mo- 
tionless form  of  the  tugboat  could  be  made  out 
where  it  snuggled  against  the  southern  bank. 
The  deserter  was  speaking  in  low  tones  to  the 
Captain,  when  he  uttered  an  exclamation 
which  caused  the  officer  to  turn  his  gaze  to  the 
rear. 

That  which  the  former  fireman  saw  was  a 
number  of  sparks  mingling  with  the  heavy 
vapor  that  was  beginning  to  tumble  out  of  the 
smokestack.  The  next  moment  both  saw  that 
the  craft  was  heading  out  into  the  river. 

"General  Yozarro  and  his  officers  have  re- 
turned!" called  Martella;  "the  firemen  are 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.         201 

cramming  the  furnace  with  wood ;  they  mean 
to  pursue  us ! ' ' 

Jack  Starland  and  his  sister  looked  behind 
them.  The  Atlamalcan  had  spoken  the  truth. 
The  time  seemed  much  too  short  for  the  party 
to  have  made  the  journey  to  the  Castle  and 
back.  In  fact,  it  was  impossible  for  them  to 
have  done  so,  but  there  could  be  no  doubt  that 
they  were  all  on  the  tugboat.  The  explana- 
tion instantly  flashed  upon  Martella. 

' '  Captain  Navarro  suspected  the  truth  some 
time  after  we  left  and  hurried  to  take  us  to  the 
Castle  again.  Some  news  may  have  reached 
him,  or  his  own  sense  told  him  of  my  trick. 
He  met  the  General  on  the  way. ' ' 

Such  undoubtedly  was  the  fact.  Had  our 
friends  suspected  aught  of  that  nature,  they 
would  not  have  frittered  away  the  precious 
minutes  as  they  had  done. 

Meanwhile,  the  resinous  wood  flung  into  the 
furnace  of  the  tugboat  was  doing  its  work. 
From  the  single  smokestack  poured  the  murky 
vapor,  sprinkled  with  crimson  sparks  which 
were  tossed  right  and  left  high  in  air,  to  drop 
hissing  into  the  water.  In  the  moonlight,  a 
snowy  winrow  at  the  bow  showed  that  the  tug 
was  plowing  ahead  with  fast  increasing  speed. 


202  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER.1 

Capable  of  making  a  dozen  miles  an  hour,  she 
was  already  doing  her  best,  and  coming  up 
with  the  sailboat  hand  over  hand. 

Only  a  few  minutes  were  given  the  fugitives 
in  which  to  decide  what  to  do.  A  straight 
away  race  was  hopeless,  for  the  pursuer,  now 
no  more  than  an  eighth  of  a  mile  distant,  was 
sure  to  overhaul  them  in  a  very  brief  time. 

"I  am  inclined  to  let  General  Yozarro  come 
up  with  us,"  said  the  Major;  "I  have  no  fear 
of  his  molesting  me  or  Miss  Starland,  and  I 
am  rather  curious  to  hear  what  he  has  to  say 
for  himself.  We  are  in  our  own  boat,  or  at 
least  not  in  his,  and  we  have  committed  no 
crime  against  the  Atlamalcan  Republic,  what- 
ever that  name  means. ' ' 

* '  You  must  not  think  for  an  instant  of  such 
a  thing,"  said  his  sister  with  great  earnest- 
ness. 

'  *  Why  not !    Do  you  hold  him  in  fear  ? ' ' 

"No ;  but  he  will  take  vengeance  upon  Mar- 
tella,  who  has  served  us  so  faithfully. ' ' 

"Great  heavens !  I  never  thought  of  that ; 
and  he  will  be  as  merciless  with  Captain  Guz- 
man for  having  helped  Martella." 

"And  with  you  for  crossing  his  path." 

"With  me !    I  long  for  a  meeting  with  him ; 


ADVENTURES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

but,  Captain,"  added  the  American,  raising 
his  voice;  "it  will  not  do  for  you  and  Mar- 
tella  to  be  on  board  when  General  Yozarro 
overtakes  us." 

"I  think  you  are  right,"  replied  the  Cap- 
tain; "the  General  and  I  have  never  loved 
each  other,  and  even  General  Bambos  would 
not  object  strongly  if  it  is  proposed  to  shoot 
me  for  aiding  an  Atlamalcan  to  desert  from 
his  navy." 

Martella  said  nothing,  but  no  one  under- 
stood the  situation  better  than  he. 

* '  I  will  head  the  boat  for  the  southern  shore, 
where  you  two  can  look  out  for  yourselves." 

"I  am  afraid  you  will  not  have  the  time  to 
reach  it." 

"It  must  be  donel" 

The  American  had  pushed  the  tiller  sharply 
round,  and  the  boat  was  speeding  diagonally 
for  the  bank.  The  change  of  course  gave  her 
a  fairer  wind,  but  the  tug  was  coming  up  so 
fast  that  it  looked  as  if  she  must  head  off  the 
fugitives.  Full  steam  had  been  put  on,  and 
our  affrighted  friends,  when  they  looked  back, 
saw  the  tumbling  foam  at  the  bow,  the  spread- 
ing wake  streaming  fanlike  to  the  rear,  and 
the  dark  figures  crowding  forward,  amid 


204  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

whom  it  was  easy  to  believe  they  discerned 
the  form  of  General  Yozarro  cursing  the  en- 
gineer for  not  attaining  "better  speed. 

"If  we  cannot  make  it,"  said  Martella  to 
the  Captain,  "we  must  jump  over  and  swim." 

"We  cannot  swim  any  faster  than  we  are 
going  now,  and  the  water  abounds  with  ene- 
mies." 

"None  is  so  treacherous  as  Yozarro;  I  at 
least  will  try  it ;  I  can  let  myself  over  softly 
and  make  so  long  a  dive  that  perhaps  he  will 
not  notice  me." 

""Wait  a  few  minutes,  Martella,  for  I  do  not 
like  your  plan." 

The  brief  interval  decided  the  question.  It 
seemed  that  the  sailboat  might  touch  land  be- 
fore the  pursuer  could  interpose  to  head  them 
off.  Martella  decided  to  take  his  chances 
with  the  others. 

The  tug  was  now  so  near  that  Yozarro 
called : 

"Stop  or  we'll  blow  you  out  of  the  water !" 

"Blow  and  be  hanged!"  called  back  Major 
Jack;  "if  you  fire  on  an  American  citizen, 
your  nuisance  of  a  republic  will  be  wiped  off 
the  earth." 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         205 

"You  have  a  deserter  with  you;  I  demand 
his  surrender." 

Therein  shone  the  cunning  of  General  Yo- 
zarro.  If  an  American  was  fired  upon  in 
Atlamalcan  waters  for  carrying  off  a  de- 
serter, it  was  little  satisfaction  our  citizen 
would  "be  able  to  obtain.  Without  hesitation, 
Major  Starland  shouted : 

"We  have  the  man;  come  and  get  him  I" 


G 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

ENERAL  YOZARRO'S  red-hot  tem- 
per burst  into  uncontrollable  flame, 
and  he  committed  a  blunder  which 
allowed  the  game  to  flit  when  it  was 
within  his  grasp.  To  the  consternation  of 
every  one,  he  gave  an  instant  order  to  fire 
upon  the  sailboat.  The  officers  protested,  but 
the  Dictator  was  irrestrainable.  He  hurried 
down  from  the  upper  deck  and  ordered  two 
sailors  to  train  the  gun  at  the  front  on  the  lit- 
tle craft.  The  better  to  accomplish  this,  he 
shouted  to  the  Captain  to  slacken  speed,  so  as 
not  to  distract  the  aim  of  the  gunners. 

For  a  minute  or  two  Major  Starland  could 
not  believe  what  he  heard,  but  the  movements 
on  board  the  tug  left  no  doubt  of  the  frightful 
purpose  of  the  raging  creature  on  the  larger 
boat.  Holding  the  tiller  steady  and  keeping 
the  head  of  the  small  craft  straight  toward 
shore,  the  Major  said  to  his  sister : 

"If  they  hit  us,  it  will  be  by  accident;  you 
would  better  stoop  your  head." 
206 


ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA.          207 

She  instantly  obeyed  and  he  leaned  forward 
himself,  so  as  to  offer  as  small  a  target  as  pos- 
sible. Captain  Guzman  and  Martella  sat  mo- 
tionless, watching  the  tug  rushing  down  upon 
them  and  ready  to  leap  ashore  the  instant 
they  came  within  reach. 

All  a-trernble  with  the  intensity  of  his  rage, 
General  Yozarro  stood  to  the  rear  and  beside 
the  six-pounder  whose  muzzle  was  pointed  to- 
ward the  little  boat.  He  measured  with  his 
eye  when  the  right  instant  came,  and  snapped 
the  lanyard.  A  spout  of  smoke  and  flame 
shot  from  the  muzzle  and  the  boom  rolled 
across  the  river  and  was  echoed  from  the 
further  shore,  as  the  solid  missile  sped  on  its 
errand. 

Barely  more  than  a  hundred  yards  separat- 
ed the  two  craft,  when  the  explosion  came. 
General  Yozarro  had  aimed  to  sink  the  other 
boat,  reckless  of  the  lives  he  sacrificed.  It 
may  have  been  and  it  probably  was  because 
he  took  the  best  aim  he  could,  that  the  ball 
missed  the  catboat  by  twenty  feet  and  crashed 
harmlessly  into  the  jungle  beyond. 

The  delay  caused  by  the  slackening  speed  of 
the  tug  gave  our  friends  the  chance  they  were 
prompt  to  use.  Not  the  slightest  change  had 


208  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

been  made  in  the  course  of  the  craft,  whose 
prow  the  next  moment  impinged  sharply 
againft  the  shore,  and  Captain  Guzman  and 
Martella  sprang  out.  Instead  of  running 
away,  however,  they  seized  the  gunwale  and 
tugged  to  draw  the  bow  up  the  bank. 

Grasping  the  hand  of  his  sister,  Major 
Starland  dashed  after  them.  They  had  the 
length  of  the  boat  to  travel,  but  quickly  did  it 
and  joined  their  friends  on  land. 

"Why  do  you  dally?"  he  called  angrily; 
"if  you  wait  another  minute,  you  will  be 
taken!  Off  with  you!" 

"Fret  not  about  us,"  was  the  gruff  re- 
sponse of  Martella;  "attend  to  the  Senorita, 
and  we'll  look  after  ourselves." 

The  great  fear  in  the  minds  of  all  was  that 
General  Yozarro  would  fire  the  rear  gun.  It 
would  take  a  few  minutes  to  bring  it  to  bear, 
and,  although  neither  he  nor  his  men  knew 
how  to  aim  to  hit,  an  accident  might  result  in 
harm.  The  passing  seconds  were  of  meas- 
ureless value. 

But,  before  the  tug  could  veer,  a  gleam  of 
returning  reason  came  to  the  ruffian.  He  had 
done  an  outrageous  thing,  but  providentially 
without  evil  consequences.  It  would  not  do 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         20S 

for  him  to  repeat  the  crime.  He  might  claim, 
as  doubtless  he  meant  to  claim,  that  the  first 
shot  was  fired  as  a  warning  to  bring  the 
smaller  craft  to,  though  in  all  his  life  he  never 
tried  harder  to  destroy  and  kill. 

He  shouted  to  the  Captain  to  head  for  land, 
and  the  officer  did  so  with  a  skill  born  of  ex- 
perience. In  rounding  to,  he  narrowly  missed 
smashing  the  smaller  boat. 

Now,  through  one  of  those  coincidences 
which  occur  oftener  in  this  life  than  is  sup- 
posed, the  catboat  had  touched  shore  at  the 
opening  of  a  clearly-marked  trail,  leading  in- 
to the  interior.  It  was  pure  chance  or  provi- 
dence, for  even  Martella  knew  nothing  of  the 
path,  which  was  one  of  many  that  wound 
down  to  the  river.  It  was  his  intention  to 
plunge  into  the  jungle  with  no  other  thought 
than  that  of  immediately  finding  a  hiding 
place  for  his  friends  and  himself,  when  he  hap- 
pened upon  the  path.  Yielding  to  impulse, 
he  called  out  the  fact  and  told  the  others  to 
follow,  as  he  hurried  up  the  slight  incline. 

But  a  few  paces  told  him  this  would  never 
do,  for  their  pursuers  would  be  right  behind 
them.  He  abruptly  stopped. 


210  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

* '  We  must  turn  off, ' '  he  said,  * '  and  let  them 
pass  us." 

"They  may  not  do  so,"  suggested  Star- 
land. 

"They  will  not  know  where  to  look  for  us." 

He  hegan  picking  a  course  among  the 
matted  vegetation,  unmindful  of  the  dangers 
that  might  threaten.  Miss  Starland  went 
next,  then  her  brother,  and  then  Captain  Guz- 
man. They  penetrated  no  more  than  twenty 
feet,  when,  at  a  whispered  word  from  Mar- 
tella,  all  halted,  and,  as  they  had  done  earlier 
in  the  evening,  watched  for  their  pursuers  to 
pass.  In  this  instance,  however,  the  path  was 
so  screened  that  nothing  could  be  seen,  and 
our  friends  depended  wholly  upon  their  sense 
of  hearing. 

Less  than  ten  minutes  elapsed  between  the 
landing  of  the  two  parties.  General  Tozarro 
was  the  first  to  set  foot  on  shore,  and,  noting 
the  trail,  he  started  up  it  on  a  lope,  with  the 
others  hurrying  after  him.  Their  footsteps 
were  heard  by  the  crouching  fugitives,  who 
were  unable  to  see  a  single  shadowy  form. 

"How  long  will  they  keep  that  up?"  asked 
Major  Starland  when  the  last  had  gone  by. 

"Not  long,"  answered  Captain  Guzman; 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         211 

"they  know  the  Senorita  cannot  travel  fast, 
and  that,  if  we  took  the  trail,  they  must  quick- 
ly  come  up  with  us." 

''Failing  to  overtake  us,  what  will  they  do 
next!" 

But  for  the  darkness,  the  Captain  would 
have  been  seen  to  shrug  his  shoulders.  It  was 
the  deserter  who  spoke : 

"They  can  do  nothing  but  wait." 

"Martella,  I  am  now  ready  to  join  you  in 
capturing  the  tugboat." 

"Esta  buena!  Esta  buena!"  whispered 
the  delighted  fellow;  "it  makes  no  difference, 
if  there  is  more  risk,  for  we  do  not  know  how 
many  they  have  left  behind." 

' '  Hang  the  risk !    Lead  on ! " 

In  his  eagerness,  Martella  took  no  pains  to 
hide  the  noise  of  tearing  through  the  jungle, 
and  the  next  moment  they  emerged  into  the 
trail  again.  The  Major  had  already  instruct- 
ed his  sister  to  stay  at  the  rear,  with  the  Cap- 
tain directly  in  front  of  her.  There  was  like- 
ly to  be  sharp  fighting,  and  she  must  keep  out 
of  it 

"When  we  rush  aboard,  remain  on  the  bank 
till  I  call  to  you." 

She  promised  to  do  as  told,  and  the  three 


212  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

men,  their  heads  bent  forward,  went  down 
the  trail  at  the  double  quick,  she  readily  keep- 
ing pace  with  them.  The  brief  distance  was 
quickly  passed,  and  the  three  drew  together 
on  the  edge  of  the  river,  just  within  the 
shadow. 

' '  The  Captain  is  in  the  pilot  house, ' '  whis- 
pered Martella,  indicating  the  figure  of  a  man 
who  had  seated  himself;  "but  I  don't  think 
there  are  any  others  beside  the  engineer  and 
firemen." 

"Leave  the  Captain  to  me,"  said  the  Amer- 
ican, who  sprang  into  the  moonlight  and  led 
the  way  up  the  gang  plank  with  the  two  at  his 
heels.  In  his  left  hand  was  his  rifle  and  in  his 
right  his  revolver. 


CHAPTER  XXVin. 

|N  his  haste  General  Yozarro  had  given 
no  orders  to  secure  the  tugboat  in 
place,  nor  was  there  need  of  doing  so. 
The  water  was  deep  enough  to  per- 
mit the  craft  to  lie  against  the  bank,  where  it 
was  held  by  the  gentle  turning  of  the  screw. 
With  a  few  more  vigorous  revolutions,  the 
prow  would  have  gouged  into  the  bank,  or 
taken  the  boat  into  the  river  on  the  proper 
direction  of  the  wheel. 

Running  across  the  gangplank,  with  a  fire- 
arm in  each  hand,  Major  Starland  bounded 
up  the  few  steps  leading  to  the  upper  deck. 
The  Captain  of  the  boat  was  seated  in  the 
pilot  house,  calmly  smoking  a  cigarette  while 
he  waited.  His  gaze  being  turned  dreamily 
toward  the  river,  he  saw  nothing  of  the  in- 
truder, or,  if  he  heard  his  footsteps,  he  was 
not  disturbed.  His  awakening  came,  when 
the  athletic  American  strode  forward  and 
thrust  a  revolver  through  the  window  of  the 
pilot  house. 

213 


214  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Do  as  I  tell  you  and  you  won't  be  hurt; 
try  to  do  different  and  I'll  blow  your  brains 
out!" 

These  words,  uttered  in  Spanish,  were  to 
the  point.  Without  them,  the  action  of  the 
officer  would  have  made  his  meaning  clear. 
The  Captain  was  cooler  and  braver  than  any 
of  his  countrymen.  He  did  not  stir,  but  look- 
ing into  the  face  of  the  other,  removed  his 
cigarette  and  said : 

"I  shall  be  pleased,  Senor,  to  be  told  in 
what  way  I  can  serve  you. ' ' 

"You  shall  learn  in  a  moment;  at  present 
continue  smoking,  and  hold  yourself  ready  for 
orders.*' 

He  bowed  and  with  a  smile  that  showed  his 
even  white  teeth,  replied  : 
"I  am  happy  to  do  as  you  say." 
" Are  you  armed?" 

"I  am  the  Captain  of  this  boat;  General 
Yozarro  does  not  allow  me  to  attend  to  any 
other  duty ;  I  have  no  weapon  on  me ;  would 
you  prefer  to  search  me?" 
"I  accept  your  word." 
The  Major  turned  to  look  for  Guzman  and 
Martella.    The  sound  of  voices  showed  that 
they  were  on  the  boat. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         215 

"Warrenia,"  he  called,  "come  aboard!" 
She  was  alert  and  moved  quickly  up  the 
plank. 

"Now,  Captain,  steam  out  into  the  river." 
"Pardon  me,  do  you  not  wish  the  gang- 
plank drawn  in ! " 

"We  have  no  time ;  do  not  wait." 
The  Captain  was  on  his  feet,  one  hand  rest- 
ing on  a  spoke  of  the  wheel,  while  the  other 
gripped  the  curved  piece  of  brass,  which 
being  drawn  upward  twice  sent  an  order  to 
the  engineer  to  back  the  boat.  Major  Star- 
land  stood  listening  with  some  misgiving,  for 
he  did  not  know  how  things  had  gone  below. 
The  response,  however,  indicated  that  all  was 
well,  for  almost  on  the  instant,  the  screw  be- 
gan churning,  and  the  boat  slowly  receded,  al- 
lowing the  gangplank,  after  being  drawn 
askew,  to  drop  with  a  splash  into  the  water. 

Knowing  the  purpose  of  their  leader,  Guz- 
man and  Martella  had  hurried  into  the  engine 
room,  where  Valentin  Herrera,  the  engineer, 
was  found  dozing.  The  place  was  smother- 
ingly  hot,  and  below,  the  firemen  were  asleep, 
so  used  to  it  that  they  would  have  slumbered 
in  tophet  itself. 

There  was  consternation  for  a  moment,  but 


216  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

it  did  not  take  the  visitors  long  to  impress  up- 
on the  men  that  the  boat  had  been  captured 
and  that  their  lives  depended  upon  their 
prompt  acceptance  of  the  changed  conditions. 

''How  many  are  with  you?"  asked  the  en- 
gineer, who  knew  his  former  fireman  so  well 
that  he  did  not  feel  much  personal  fear  of 
him. 

" Enough  to  hold  you  all  at  our  mercy." 

1  'You  know  Captain  Ortega  is  in  the  wheel- 
house." 

" Major  Starland  has  attended  to  him." 

"I  have  heard  no  pistol  shot." 

"The  Captain  is  a  wise  man  and  has  sur- 
rendered ;  Valentin,  I  want  to  make  General 
Yozarro  angrier  than  before,"  added  Mar- 
tella  with  a  grin. 

"He  cannot  be  any  angrier  than  he  has 
been  ever  since  I  gave  him  your  message ;  but 
I  accept  the  situation.  He  cannot  condemn 
his  men  for  being  overpowered  when  he 
leaves  them  no  weapons  with  which  to  fight. 
You  needn't  fret  about  the  firemen  or  me— " 

Just  then  the  gong  clinked  in  response  to 
the  switching  in  the  pilot  house  above. 

" That  means  go  back." 

"I  wouldn't  wait,  Valentin;  our  leader,  el 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         217 

Americano,  is  impatient,  and  is  quick  to  use 
the  revolver  he  carries." 

"It  is  my  duty  to  obey  orders,"  commented 
the  engineer,  with  another  grin,  as  he  made 
the  necessary  shifting  of  cranks  and  levers  to 
set  the  machinery  to  plunging  and  swinging. 
The  drowsy  firemen  eared  little  for  what  was 
going  on  over  their  heads  and  slouchily  threw 
wood  into  the  furnace. 

"It  is  my  wish  to  go  to  Zalapata,"  Major 
Starland  explained  to  the  Captain  of  the  tug ; 
"General  Yozarro  set  out  to  take  my  sister 
there  last  night,  but  seems  to  have  changed 
his  mind,  for  he  brought  her  only  part  way. 
We  will  now  complete  the  journey." 

"At  the  highest  speed,  Senor?" 

The  American  did  not  catch  the  significance 
of  this  question,  but  accidentally  he  made  the 
best  answer. 

"There  is  no  haste  necessary;  we  shall  be 
able  to  reach  there  soon  after  sunrise;  you 
know  how  fast  to  go;  am  I  understood?" 

"Perfectly,  Senor." 

Feeling  himself  master  of  the  craft,  Star- 
land  now  went  back  into  the  Captain's  cabin 
to  see  his  sister,  whom  he  found  seated  in  the 
quarters  which  had  been  occupied  by  her  and 


218  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

the  Senorita  Estacardo  the  evening  before. 
Although  this  species  of  craft  are  not  in- 
tended to  carry  passengers,  outside  the  neces- 
sary equipment,  General  Yozarro  had  caused 
the  small  compartment  to  be  fitted  up  and  fur- 
nished suitably  for  the  entertainment  of 
guests.  The  swinging  lamp  was  lighted  over- 
head, and  the  bottles,  glasses  and  fragments 
of  cigarettes  showed  how  the  Dictator  and  his 
friends  had  spent  most  of  the  time  in  coming 
from  Atlamalco. 

Miss  Starland  was  flustered  and  nervous, 
but  the  cool  self  possession  of  her  brother 
greatly  reassured  her. 

"That  was  a  clever  trick  we  played  upon 
the  scamp, ' '  said  he  with  a  smile. 

"What  do  you  intend  to  do  with  the  boat!" 

"Take  you  to  Zalapata;  it  would  serve  him 
right  if  I  scuttled  it,  but  I  will  turn  it  over  to 
Bambos  to  keep  or  destroy  as  he  pleases— 

She  was  about  to  speak,  when  shouts  and 
calls  caused  both  to  hurry  outside.  As  might 
have  been  anticipated,  General  Yozarro  and 
his  party  had  speedily  returned  and  had 
halted  on  the  edge  of  the  river,  the  President 
shouting  his  orders  for  Captain  Ortega  to  re- 
turn at  once.  The  Major,  standing  beside  the 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.          219 

pilot  house,  could  not  deny  himself  the  pleas- 
ure of  answering  for  the  other. 

"The  Captain  is  under  my  orders;  he  can- 
not obey  you." 

"That  is  my  boat!"  howled  General  Yo- 
zarro;  "return  at  once  or  suffer  the  conse- 
quences of  your  thievery. ' ' 

"I'll  suffer  the  consequences,  but  I  am  only 
borrowing  it  for  a  little  while;  you  did  not 
seem  to  be  able  to  deliver  Miss  Starland  to 
Zalapata,  and  I  will  do  it  myself ;  I  place  at 
your  disposal  the  small  boat  we  left  behind." 

"I  shall  make  known  your  crime  to  your 
government,"  shouted  the  Dictator,  for  noth- 
ing better  to  say. 

"I  shall  be  glad ;  perhaps  it  would  be  better 
to  lay  it  before  The  Hague  Tribunal.  The 
whole  world  will  be  interested  in  learning 
what  a  cowardly  wretch  calls  himself  Presi- 
dent of  the  Atlamalcan  Republic." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

T  is  quite  probable  that  General  Yo- 
zarro  felt  himself  unequal  to  the  sit- 
uation, for  he  said  nothing  more. 
He  could  plainly  be  seen  standing 
out  in  front  of  his  friends,  who,  he  noted,  were 
busy  at  something.  They  were  hoisting  the 
sail  of  the  catboat  and  the  whole  party 
scrambled  aboard,  as  it  was  shoved  from 
shore.  Their  weight  sank  the  craft  low,  but 
it  buoyed  them  safely,  and  the  smaller  craft 
began  its  pursuit  of  the  larger  one,  somewhat 
after  the  manner  of  a  handcar  chasing  a  loco- 
motive. 

As  before,  there  was  no  comparison  in  their 
speed,  despite  the  fact  that  the  tug  had  slowed 
down  considerably.  Major  Starland  ordered 
the  Captain  to  hold  their  relative  position. 
His  contempt  for  the  ruffian  Dictator  was  so 
deep  that  he  could  not  forbear  exulting  over 
him. 

The  men  in  the  fire  room  knew  that  they 
220 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         221 

bad  no  choice  except  to  obey  tbe  orders  sent 
down  to  them.  No  responsibility  could  at- 
tach to  them,  and  the  American  would  visit 
fearful  punishment  upon  any  disobedience  or 
treachery. 

Guzman  and  Martella  came  to  the  upper 
deck,  where  Major  Starland  was  holding  con- 
verse with  Captain  Ortega. 

"I  wish,"  said  the  Major,  speaking  too  low 
for  the  Captain  to  hear  him,  "you  would  find 
out  how  many  are  in  the  boat  yonder.  I  make 
it  six." 

The  three  gave  several  minutes  to  scrutiny 
and  agreed  there  were  seven,  which  was  more 
than  had  b'een  supposed. 

"And  all  are  heavily  armed,  some  with 
pistols  and  some  with  swords ;  if  they  should 
come  alongside,  they  could  give  us  a  pretty 
fight." 

Captain  Guzman  took  it  upon  himself  to 
say: 

"General  Yozarro  and  Captain  Sepulveda 
—if  he  is  there— are  the  biggest  cowards  in 
the  Atlamalcan  army,  but  the  others  are  fight- 
ers. I  know  three  of  them  who  are  worse 
than  tiger  cats.  They  are  eager  for  a  chance 
to  attack  us." 


222  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"And  they  should  have  it,  but  for  two 
reasons :  it  will  be  too  great  a  trial  for  my 
sister.  We  could  beat  them  off,  except  for 
the  danger  in  our  rear." 

The  two  looked  inquiringly  at  the  Amer- 
ican. 

"That  Captain  at  the  wheel  is  one  of  the 
bravest  of  men.  He  is  devoted  to  General 
Yozarro,  or  at  least  holds  him  in  fear ;  the  mo- 
ment he  gained  a  chance  to  strike  a  blow  for 
him  he  would  strike  hard,  no  matter  at  what 
risk  to  himself." 

"He  carries  no  arms;  he  has  no  chance.'* 

"He  may  know  where  he  can  lay  hand  on  a 
weapon;  if  he  attacked  us  behind,  while  we 
were  repelling  boarders— as  I  am  sure  he 
would— the  jig  would  be  up.  So  I  have  or- 
dered him  to  keep  the  present  distance  be- 
tween us  and  their  boat.  After  awhile,  we 
shall  pull  away  from  them." 

There  was  no  driving  off  the  uneasiness  re- 
garding Captain  Ortega.  Starland  sauntered 
over  to  the  pilot  house,  and,  with  assumed 
carelessness,  kept  furtive  watch  of  the  man. 
He  could  see  nothing  suspicious  in  his  deport- 
ment. He  had  flung  away  his  cigarette,  and 
both  hands  were  upon  the  spokes  of  the  wheel, 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         223 

which  now  and  then  were  shifted  slightly  as 
cause  arose.  He  peered  keenly  ahead,  for  the 
bifurcated  river  has  its  treacherous  places, 
like  our  own  Mississippi,  and  he  who  guides 
so  large  a  craft  in  its  current  has  need  to  keep 
his  wits  about  him.  The  moonlight  gave  a 
fine  view  of  the  broad  stream,  and  the  Captain 
seemed  to  feel  no  interest  in  anything  else. 

"I  don't  know  whether  he  is  up  to  mischief 
or  not,"  reflected  the  American;  "if  he  is,  he 
is  mighty  sly.  Let  him  try  to  play  me  false 
and  I  won't  hesitate  a  minute  to  shoot  him." 

The  Major  looked  toward  the  other  boat, 
which  instead  of  trailing  directly  at  the  rear, 
was  following  a  parallel  course,  about  half 
way  between  the  tug  and  the  southern  shore, 
and  some  two  hundred  yards  to  the  rear. 
Filled  with  so  many  men,  the  craft  looked  like 
a  variegated  bouquet  floating  down  the  muddy 
Rio  Eubio. 

It  was  the  fact  that  General  Yozarro  main- 
tained a  pursuit  which,  in  the  nature  of  thing*, 
was  hopeless,  that  caused  Major  Starland  mis- 
giving. It  must  be  that  the  Dictator  was 
counting  upon  some  move  in  his  favor  by  the 
Captain  of  the  tug,  which  held  the  former  to 
his  course,  and  the  latter  was  biding  his  time. 


224  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Studying  hard,  the  American  could  think  of 
no  scheme  which  promised  the  slightest  suc- 
cess in  this  direction,  but  none  the  less,  he 
was  convinced  that  something  was  on  foot, 
and  that  it  could  be  frustrated  only  by  alert- 
ness on  his  own  part. 

In  this  uncomfortable  frame  of  mind,  he 
came  down  from  the  upper  deck  and  followed 
his  two  friends  forward,  where  they  were 
leaning  against  the  pile  of  wood  near  the  gun. 
Both  were  smoking  and  occasionally  glancing 
up  at  the  pilot  house,  as  if  they  too  were  ap- 
prehensive of  the  man,  whose  head  and  shoul- 
ders were  in  sight.  He  had  resumed  smoking 
and  the  tip  of  his  cigarette  glowed  in  the 
moonlight. 

The  three  stood  for  a  few  minutes  without 
speaking,  when  Martella  straightened  up  and 
asked  in  a  low  voice : 

"Have  you  noticed,  Major,  that  our  speed 
has  increased  within  the  last  few  minutes?" 

The  American  looked  off  over  the  water 
and  then  at  the  shore,  but  could  see  nothing 
to  enlighten  him. 

"The  other  boat  is  falling  behind,"  said 
Captain  Guzman. 

Glancing  at  the  smaller  craft,  all  doubt  was 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         225 

Instantly  removed.  The  tug  was  steadily 
drawing  away  from  it. 

"  Captain,"  lie  called,  looking  up  at  the  pilot 
house;  "we  are  going  too  fast;  slacken  your 
speed. ' ' 

"As  you  please,  Senor;  I  beg  your  par- 
don. " 

The  signal  was  sent  down  to  the  engineer, 
who  quickly  brought  about  a  diminution  in 
the  progress  of  the  tug. 

"Probably  it  was  unintentional—" 

At  that  moment,  all  felt  a  jar  through  the 
craft,  accompanied  by  such  a  rapid  slacken- 
ing of  pace  that  the  three  took  an  involuntary 
step  forward. 

"We've  run  aground!"  exclaimed  Star- 
land. 

"There's  no  doubt  of  it,"  calmly  added 
Martella. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

T  WAS  done  purposely!"  added  the 
American,  placing  his  hand  on  his 
revolver.  Glancing  up  from  where 
he  stood,  the  head  and  shoulders  of 
Captain  Ortega  were  in  fair  sight  through  the 
lowered  slide  at  the  front  of  the  pilot  house. 
He  made  no  attempt  to  elude  the  bullet  that 
he  must  have  expected. 

But  prudence  told  the  American  to  wait. 
The  sendees  of  the  other  were  too  valuable 
for  the  time  to  be  thrown  away,  even  though 
the  man  was  under  suspicion.  Besides,  there 
was  one  chance  in  a  hundred  that  the  mishap 
was  unintentional. 

Hardly  had  the  motion  of  the  boat  ceased, 
when  the  double  clinking  of  the  gong  in  the 
engine  room  sounded,  accompanied  by  the 
jangling  of  the  bell,  which  called  upon  the 
engineer  to  reverse  instantly  at  full  speed. 
The  water  at  the  stern  was  threshed  into 
muddy  foam,  but  the  craft  did  not  slide  off 
the  incline  np  which  it  had  partly  glided. 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         227 

"Give  her  full  head!"  called  Major  Star- 
land. 

"We  are  doing  so,  Senor!"  replied  the 
placid  Captain. 

"Your  life  depends  on  getting  the  boat 
off." 

The  other  made  no  reply,  but  with  the 
hand  on  the  pulse  of  his  patient,  as  may  be 
said,  he  noted  all  the  symptoms.  He  was  seen 
to  turn  and  look  in  the  direction  of  the  cat- 
boat,  as  if  he  expected  something  from  that. 
He  was  not  disappointed. 

General  Yozarro  and  his  friends  were  quick 
to  note  the  mishap  that  had  befallen  the  tug 
and  they  headed  their  craft  toward  it.  They 
meant  to  board,  and,  despite  the  bravery  of 
the  defenders  they  were  quite  certain  to  suc- 
ceed, since,  as  has  been  shown,  the  "house  was 
divided  against  itself." 

The  American  dashed  to  the  stern,  calling 
upon  Guzman  to  follow.  It  took  them  but  a 
moment  to  turn  the  muzzle  of  the  gun  so  that 
it  bore  directly  upon  the  catboat. 

"If  you  come  any  nearer,  I'll  blow  you  out 
of  water!" 

Then  the  Major  added  a  bit  of  information 
which  perhaps  was  superfluous: 


228  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"We  Americans  always  hit  what  we  aim 
at." 

General  Yozarro  saw  that  it  would  never 
do.  He  was  heard  to  speak  sharply  to  the  man 
at  the  tiller,  and  the  small  boat  immediately 
veered  off.  Daring  as  some  of  the  inmates 
might  be,  they  had  not  the  courage  to  ad- 
vance straight  against  the  throat  of  a  gap- 
ing six-pounder. 

"Martella,  take  charge  of  the  other  gun!" 
called  the  Major  to  the  deserter,  who,  as  quick 
as  himself  to  note  the  danger,  had  stepped  to 
the  side  of  the  second  piece  of  ordnance.  The 
two  half-circles  commanded  by  these  includ- 
ed the  whole  horizon,  a  fact  which  General 
Yozarro  and  his  comrades  were  not  likely  to 
forget. 

It  would  seem  that  it  was  impossible  for 
Captain  Ortega,  with  the  aid  of  the  engineer, 
to  effect  any  change  in  the  position  of  the 
tugboat,  while  it  stuck  to  the  submerged  bank, 
like  a  bull  ramming  its  head  against  a  stone 
wall.  Instead  of  staying  motionless  the  stern 
swung  slowly  to  the  right  and  then  to  the  left, 
as  if  trying  to  wriggle  its  nose  out  of  the  mud. 
This  caused  the  muzzle  of  the  cannon  to  wab- 
ble, sometimes  being  directed  straight  at  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         229 

railboat,  and  sometimes  to  one  side  of  it.  But 
the  gun  was  so  easily  shifted  that  the  Ameri- 
can could  readily  perfect  the  aim  whenever  he 
chose,  and  that  would  be  done  the  instant  the 
enemy  tried  to  run  in  upon  him. 

There  was  a  fighting  chance  for  the  Atla- 
malcans.  They  were  so  near  that  by  fiddling 
back  and  forth  they  might  by  a  sudden  dash 
close  in.  Most  likely,  had  the  wind  been 
strong  they  would  have  tried  this,  but  the 
breeze  remained  so  soft  that  quick  action  was 
impossible.  The  situation  was  so  critical 
that  Major  Starland  warned  the  others  of 
what  was  certain  to  follow  an  attempt  to 
board. 

"General  Yozarro,  I  hold  a  repeating  rifle 
in  my  hand ;  you  are  in  clear  view ;  just  before 
firing  the  cannon,  I  shall  shoot  you,  and  when 
I  pull  trigger,  you'll  drop!" 

The  Dictator  was  on  his  feet  about  to  sum- 
mon the  others  to  surrender,  with  threats  of 
the  consequences  that  would  follow  a  refusal. 
The  words  of  the  American  threw  him  into  a 
panic  and  in  his  haste  to  scramble  back,  he 
tumbled  over  the  man  directly  behind  him, 
not  ceasing  his  frantic  efforts  till  he  was  cow- 
ering at  the  stern. 


230  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

The  laugh  of  the  American  was  heard,  be- 
fore he  called  out: 

"I'll  pick  you  out,  no  matter  where  you 
are  in  the  boat,  but  I  sha'n't  fire  till  you  try  to 
run  in  on  us.  We'll  rake  you  fore  and  aft, 
and  if  you  don't  believe  what  I  say,  all  you 
have  to  do  is  to  test  me." 

The  General  could  be  heard  consulting 
with  his  officers.  Evidently  the  counsels  were 
divided  and  some  favored  making  the  rush, 
despite  its  danger,  for,  as  has  been  shown,  not 
all  of  them  were  poltroons,  but  that  awful 
threat  of  the  American  had  done  what  it  was 
intended  to  do.  Had  General  Yozarro  fol- 
lowed his  own  promptings,  he  would  have 
withdrawn,  but  he  lacked  the  courage  to  do 
that,  and  in  his  dilemma  tried  diplomacy. 

"Major  Starland,  I  have  naught  against 
you,  though  you  have  stolen  my  property,  but 
I  have  the  right  to  demand  that  you  surren- 
der the  deserter  with  you.  Do  that,  and  we 
will  trouble  you  no  more." 

"You  are  not  troubling  me  in  the  least; 
I'm  enjoying  this,  though  it  doesn't  seem  to 
give  you  much  amusement.  However,  you 
may  as  well  save  your  words  regarding  the 
noble  Martella,  who  has  served  us  so  well.  He 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         231 

};as  cast  his  fate  with  us  and  I  consider  him 
worth  a  thousand  such  as  you." 

There  was  really  no  call  for  the  General  to 
keep  up  the  conversation  and  he  subsided.  The 
action  of  the  current  steadily  bore  his  boat 
forward,  but  the  helmsman  shied  off  toward 
the  northern  bank,  and  bye  and  bye,  was  far- 
ther down  stream  than  the  tug.  Either  one  or 
the  other  of  the  six-pounders  carefully  fol- 
lowed the  relative  change  of  position,  and  an 
eighth  of  a  mile  below  the  smaller  craft  glid- 
ed out  of  sight  around  a  sweeping  bend  in  the 
river. 

All  this  time  the  screw  of  the  tugboat  was 
viciously  churning,  but  the  prow  held  fast. 
Once  or  twice  a  trembling  of  the  hull  seemed 
to  show  a  partial  lessening  of  the  hold,  but 
nothing  more. 

The  danger  of  boarding  having  passed  for 
the  time,  Major  Starland  returned  to  the  cabin 
to  speak  to  his  sister.  She  had  understood 
everything  that  had  taken  place  and  needed 
no  cheering.  Then  he  rejoined  Captain  Guz- 
man and  Martella  at  the  front. 

"We  are  free  of  the  General  for  awhile." 

"But  there  is  no  saying  for  how  long,"  re- 
marked the  Captain. 


2,-ij  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"What  do  you  think  he  means  to  do!" 

"I  cannot  guess,  unless  it  is  to  keep  on  to 
Zalapata  and  to  appeal  to  General  Bambos. ' ' 

"Which  is  likely  to  be  bad  for  you,  Cap- 
tain, unless  Bambos  is  anxious  after  all  to  go 
to  war,  as  he  pretended  the  other  day." 

''I  think,"  said  Martella,  "he  means  to 
get  more  men  and  attack  the  boat." 

"But  where  will  he  get  the  men  from?  He 
is  a  long  way  from  Atlamalco." 

"Yet  not  very  far  from  Castillo  Descanso, 
where  he  has  quite  a  force  as  you  know." 

"That  will  take  many  hours  and  we  shall 
not  stay  here  forever." 

'  *  There  is  no  saying  how  long  it  will  be. ' ' 

"I  must  have  a  few  words  with  the  Cap- 
tain." 

Major  Starland  immediately  left  the  lower 
deck  and  climbed  to  the  pilot  house,  where 
the  executive  of  the  tugboat,  having  nothing 
pressing  on  his  hands,  had  sat  down  on  the 
stool  placed  there  for  his  convenience  and  was 
smoking  another  cigarette.  Looking  around, 
as  he  heard  the  footsteps,  he  touched  his  fore- 
finger to  his  hat  and  said : 

"Buenas  noches,  Sen  or!  We  are  still  fast." 

"That  cannot  be  disputed." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

TJHE  American  leaned  on  the  bottom 
I  of  the  slide,  with  his  face  scarcely 
two  feet  from  the  other,  and  with  the 
revolver  at  his  hip  within  instant 
reach. 

"Captain  Ortega,  will  you  answer  a  ques- 
tion truly?" 

"That  depends  upon  the  question,  Senor; 
if  I  answer  at  all,  it  shall  be  truly,  but  I  may 
choose  to  leave  it  unanswered." 

"Did  you  run  this  boat  aground  on  pur- 
pose?" 

Captain  Ortega  took  two  or  three  com- 
placent whiffs,  gazed  off  over  the  moonlit 
river  and  then  removing  the  wisp  of  tobacco 
from  between  his  lips,  smiled,  and  looking  in- 
to the  face  before  him,  coolly  replied : 

"I  did,  Senor." 

"It  was  after  my  warning  to  you." 

1  *  Begging  pardon,  Senor,  it  could  not  well 
have  been  before." 


234  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"What  did  you  hope  to  accomplish?" 
11  To  help  General  Yozarro  to  recover  his 
boat." 
"How?" 

"I  expected  him  to  dash  forward  and 
board." 

"He  lacked  the  courage  to  attempt  it." 
"I  am  sorry  to  agree  with  you." 
"But  he  was  wise;  I  kept  one  of  the  guns 
continually   bearing   upon   him    and    would 
have  blown  him  and  his  men  to  kingdom 
come. '  ' 

Again  the  Captain  puffed  his  cigarette.  He 
looked  dreamily  down  the  river  where  the 
sailing  craft  had  passed  from  sight. 

"You  would  not  have  harmed  General 
Yozarro  or  anyone  in  the  boat." 

"You  are  insulting,  Captain;  I  could  not 
have  missed  them." 

"The  port  gun  had  no  charge  in  it!" 
"Good  heavens!    is  that  the  truth?"  de- 
manded the  astounded  American. 

"You  have  only  to  examine  the  piece  for 
yourself  to  learn  that  it  is." 
"Did  General  Yozarro  know  it?" 
The  Captain  puffed  several  times  so  hard 
that  the  point  of  fire  touched  his  mustache, 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         235 

then  he  impatiently  flung  the  bit  out  of  the 
window.  Superbly  self-possessed  as  he  was, 
he  could  not  conceal  his  anger. 

"How  could  he  help  knowing  it,  when  by 
his  own  orders  the  charge  was  withdrawn  be- 
fore we  left  Atlamalco !  What  his  whim,  was 
1  didn't  ask  and  do  not  care." 

"Knowing  that,  why  did  he  hesitate!" 

" Because,"  replied  Captain  Ortega  with 
a  sneer,  "he  feared  you  might  have  learned 
the  truth,  and  reloaded  the  gun.  I  had  no 
way  of  telling  him  different." 

"Why  did  you  not  teU  we?" 

Looking  straight  in  the  eyes  of  the  Ameri- 
can, the  Captain  said: 

"I  am  an  Atlamalcan!" 

"And  the  best  of  the  lot!  But,  Captain, 
did  you  not  fear  I  would  carry  out  my  threat 
of  shooting  you  when  you  ran  the  boat 
aground?" 

"I  expected  you  to  try  to  do  so,  but  I,  too, 
should  have  done  some  shooting  also." 

"You  told  me  you  were  unarmed." 

"And  when  I  said  I  had  no  weapon  on  me, 
it  was  the  truth,  but  I  did  not  tell  you  that  I 
did  not  know  where  to  lay  hand  on  a  revolver 
whenever  it  should  become  necessary." 


236  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"I  respect  your  frankness;  I  can  suspect 
your  plan,  but  may  I  not  hear  it  from  your 
own  lips?" 

"I  was  on  guard,  and  had  you  raised  your 
weapon  when  standing  below,  I  should  have 
fired  my  own  first,  and  pardon  me,  Senor,  I 
should  not  have  missed.  Your  two  friends 
were  also  in  fair  range  and  would  have  re- 
ceived my  attention  in  the  same  moment." 

"I  must  consider  it  fortunate  that  I  did  not 
act  on  my  impulse,  for  at  no  time  did  I  fear 
anything  of  that  nature  from  you.  Having 
refrained,  what  then  was  your  plan?" 

"I  had  not  a  doubt  that  General  Yozarro 
would  board,  having  every  reason  to  believe 
the  port  gun  was  empty,  without  any  such 
thought  on  your  part.  The  moment  he  tried 
to  do  so,  I  should  have  left  the  wheel  and  done 
what  1  could  to  help  him;  I  think  I  should 
have  been  able  to  give  him  some  assistance, 
Senor— I  beg  your  pardon,  I  think  I  heard 
you  called  Major." 

" Little  doubt  you  would;  it  was  that  I 
feared  more  than  anything  else,  though  I 
doubted  your  having  a  pistol.  My  fear  of 
you  was  my  chief  reason  for  trying  to  frighten 
them  off  from  boarding." 


ADVENTURES   IN    SOUTH   AMERICA.          237 

Captain  Ortega  seemed  to  think  the  subject 
entertaining,  for  he  lit  another  cigarette- 
first  offering  the  box  to  the  American— 
crossed  his  legs,  leaned  back  at  his  leisure, 
looked  smilingly  up  in  the  American's  face, 
and  said  in  an  even  voice : 

"It  may  be  treason,  Major,  but  General 
Yozarro  is  a  coward !  He  spoiled  even-thing 
by  refusing  to  attack,  when  nearly  every  man 
in  his  boat  was  eager  for  it.  When  I  was  on 
the  point  of  calling  to  him  that  the  gun  was 
empty,  he  tumbled  back  in  the  boat  at  your 
threat.  I  was  so  filled  with  contempt  that  I 
vowed  I  would  give  him  no  help;  I  shall  do 
nothing  more  to  aid  him,  for,  after  I  opened 
the  door,  he  was  too  scared  to  enter  it.  To 
prove  I  am  in  earnest,  Major,  I  now  surrender 
my  only  weapon." 

With  which  he  drew  out  a  beautiful  silver- 
mounted  revolver  from  under  his  loose  jacket 
and  extended  it,  with  the  muzzle  turned  to- 
ward himself,  to  the  wondering  American. 

"I  decline  to  take  it,  provided  you  will  give 
me  your  parole  to  remain  neutral  in  wher- 
ever may  occur  while  I  am  on  this  craft." 

"You  have  my  pledge,"  said  the  Captain, 
shoving  the  weapon  back. 


238  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Can  you  tell  me  what  General  Yozarro  is 
likely  to  do?" 

"I  can,  but  to  do  so,  would  be  a  violation  of 
my  neutrality." 

"A  fair  hit!"  laughed  the  American;  "I 
spoke  without  thought,  but  it  will  not  touch 
the  question  of  neutrality  if  you  tell  me  how 
much  longer  we  are  likely  to  remain  fast  in 
the  mud." 

"You  may  be  aware  that  we  feel  the  ocean 
tide  to  some  extent  in  this  part  of  the  Eio 
Rubio.  Some  time  beyond  midnight,  if  we  do 
not  drive  farther  upon  the  shoal,  the  tide  will 
lift  us  clear.  You  may  not  have  noticed, 
Major,  that  the  screw  has  been  driving  us  for- 
ward most  of  the  time,  instead  of  backward. 
It  is  doing  so  now,  but  with  your  permission,  I 
will  order  the  engineer  to  reverse." 

"Well,  I'll  be  hanged !  I  heard  you  do  that 
a  good  while  ago." 

"That  signal  was  for  your  benefit;  there 
was  another  sent  down  the  tube  for  the  pri- 
vate ear  of  the  engineer  which  you  did  not 
hear." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 


STARLAND  thrust  his  hand 
through   the  window   of   the   pilot 

"Give  me  the  pleasure,  Captain." 
The  other  smilingly  returned  the  pressure. 

Each  saluted  and  the  American  passed  back 

into  the  cabin,  where  his  sister  awaited  him. 

He  explained  the  situation. 
"Do  you  know  who  he  is,  Jack?" 
"I  believe  his  name  is   Captain  Ramon 

Ortega." 

"Have  you  never  heard  it  before?" 
"It  seems  to  have  a  familiar  sound,  but  I 

cannot  identify  it." 
'  l  He  is  the  betrothed  of  Manuela.  '  ' 
"Why  didn't  I  remember  it?    I  can't  help 

admiring  the  fellow,  for  he  is  the  soul  of 

honor." 

"She  could  have  told  you  that." 

"You  and  he  are  acquaintances,  but  he  does 

not  seem  to  recognize  you." 


240  Up  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"He  cannot  fail  to  know  me,  for  we  have 
met,  but  I  think  he  prefers  to  be  a  stranger, 
while  our  relations  are  so  peculiar.  He  will 
not  allow  me  to  leave  without  a  few  words." 

''Great  heavens!  I  came  near  shooting 
him,  but  I  guess  it  wasn't  any  nearer  than 
he  came  to  shooting  me.  He  is  as  brave  as  he 
is  high  minded." 

The  young  woman  had  removed  the  rem- 
nants of  the  feast  left  by  General  Yozarro  and 
his  guests  so  that  the  small,  richly  furnished 
apartment  looked  tidy  and  attractive.  She 
reclined  on  the  silken  covered  lounge  placed 
against  the  side  of  the  cabin,  and  her  brother 
bade  her  good  night  and  returned  to  his  com- 
rades, seated  at  the  front  and  talking  in  low 
tones.  To  them  the  Major  told  of  his  talk 
with  Captain  Ortega. 

"You  do  not  doubt  what  he  told  you, 
Major?"  said  Guzman  inquiringly. 

"It  is  impossible." 

"General  Yozarro  has  not  a  braver  or 
more  honorable  officer  in  his  army.  Three 
years  ago,  when  we  were  at  war  with  Atla- 
raalco,  and  neither  republic  owned  a  fleet,  we 
had  a  fight  with  three  hundred  Atlamalcans 
in  the  mountains.  Each  force  was  about  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         241 

same  and  it  was  one  of  the  hottest  fights  I 
ever  saw,  for  the  respective  forces  were  com- 
manded by  Generals  Bambos  and  Yozarro." 

"Did  each  take  a  personal  part  in  it?** 

"Yes,"  replied  Captain  Guzman  with  a 
grin  and  shrug  of  the  shoulders,  "that  is  to 
say,  so  far  as  directing  matters  was  con- 
cerned. I  saw  Bambos  peeping  out  from  be- 
hind a  big  rock,  swinging  his  sword,  shout- 
ing and  yawping  till  he  seemed  ready  to 
burst,  but  taking  good  care  when  the  bullets 
were  whistling  near  that  he  was  out  of  reach. 
I  didn't  see  anything  of  Yozarro,  but—" 

"I  did,"  interrupted  Martella;  "fie  was  in 
a  deep  hollow  and  made  sure  his  head  never 
rose  a  half  inch  above  the  edge.  He  did  his 
part  too  in  bellowing  orders,  but  I  don't  sup- 
pose he  commanded  any  more  attention  than 
Bambos,  Captain." 

"Both  forces  fought  independently  of  their 
leaders. ' ' 

"You  commanded  yours,  Captain,  and  did 
it  well." 

"Not  so  well  as  Captain  Ortega,  for  it  was 
that  thundergnst  flank  movement  which  drove 
us  headlong  out  of  the  mountains,  with  some 
of  the  men  never  halting  till  they  reached 


242  UP  THE  FORKTED  RIVER. 

Zalapata.  Captain  Ortega  and  no  one  else 
won  that  battle." 

" General  Yozarro  knows  his  worth,"  said 
Martella ;  ''he  would  have  made  him  a  general 
long  ago  if  it  was  not  that  he  is  jealous  of 
him.  He  is  the  only  one  I  know  who  doesn't 
fear  General  Yozarro.  They  often  quarrel, 
for  the  Captain  is  plain  of  speech  to  every 
one.  Yozarro  has  announced  that  he  means 
to  make  him  admiral  of  the  fleet  which  he  in- 
tends to  build  up.  That  I  suppose  is  why  he 
has  placed  him  in  charge  of  the  gunboat,  so 
that  he  shall  have  all  the  training  and  ex- 
perience he  can." 

' '  How  does  he  feel  toward  you,  Martella  ? ' ' 

The  native  gave  his  usual  shrug  and 
grinned. 

"I  know  enough  to  keep  away  from  him. 
He  will  never  forgive  me  for  deserting.  He 
knows  my  grievance  and  may  pity  me,  but  he 
would  be  glad  to  shoot  me,  if  he  had  a  fair  ex- 
cuse for  doing  so.  I  don 't  mean  to  tempt  him, 
even  if  he  has  given  you  his  pledge  of  neutral- 
ity and  is  the  most  honorable  of  men.  If  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  finds  fault  with  him,  it  will  be 
just  like  Captain  Ortega  to  say  right  before 
all  the  other  officers  '  I  gave  you  a  chance,  but 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.         243 

you  had  not  the  courage  to  use  it  and  I  would 
not  waste  any  more  effort  on  you.'  " 

None  of  the  three  could  make  a  satisfactory 
forecast  of  the  policy  of  General  Yozarro.  It 
seemed  to  the  American  that  he  might  be  able 
to  secure  two  or  three  pieces  of  cannon  and 
open  a  bombardment  of  the  boat  from  the 
shore,  but  this  presupposed  an  unreasonable 
delay.  Captain  Guzman  said: 

"He  has  no  way  of  getting  cannon  this  side 
of  Atlarnalco,  and  that  would  take  a  day  or 
two ;  he  has  no  wish  to  destroy  his  own  prop- 
erty, and,  if  he  had  such  a  wish,  he  couldn't 
do  it,  for  only  by  accident  would  he  hit  the 
boat." 

"That  squelches  my  theory,  which  I  didn't 
believe  in  myself.  I  '11  have  another  talk  with 
the  Captain,  though  his  sense  of  honor  isn't 
likely  to  allow  him  to  say  much." 

It  was  beyond  midnight  and  the  two  were 
conversing  in  a  friendly  way,  but  without 
anything  important  being  said,  when  they 
looked  in  each  other's  face  with  a  pleased  ex- 
pression. A  welcome  fact  had  become  known 
to  both  at  the  same  moment. 

"The  boat  is  moving,"  whispered  the 
American. 


244  tTP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

With  the  screw  motionless,  she  had  been 
lifted  clear  by  the  tide  and  now  swung  clear. 
The  Captain  drew  out  his  watch  and  held  it 
so  the  moonlight  lit  up  the  face. 

"There  is  no  reaching  Zalapata  until  tc- 
ward  noon,  provided  we  get  there  with  this 
gunboat,  Major.'' 

The  significant  intonation  and  smile  which 
accompanied  these  words  puzzled  the  Ameri- 
can, who  would  have  given  much  to  have  had 
them  explained.  But  it  was  useless  to  ques- 
tion the  Captain  and  the  only  comfort  was  in 
the  thought  that  he  was  an  honorable  foe. 

"Now  for  Zalapata!"  he  added. 

"I  assume,  Captain,  that  you  are  familiar 
with  all  the  windings  and  dangers  of  the 
river." 

"Didn't  I  prove  it  by  running  aground? 
But  there  will  be  no  more  mishaps  of  that 
nature  while  I  hold  the  wheel." 

"Your  pledge  is  sufficient,"  remarked  the 
American,  who  again  passed  to  the  lower  deck 
and  joined  his  friends.  He  told  them  of  the 
curious  remark  of  Captain  Ortega,  but  none 
of  the  three  could  guess  his  meaning. 

"The  only  thing  that  is  certain,"  said  Cap- 
tain  Guzman,  "is  that  General  Yozarro  and 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         -2C, 

the  rest  are  somewhere  down  the  river  and 
we  shall  hear  more  from  them." 

No  one  felt  any  disposition  to  sleep  and 
none  really  needed  rest.  The  engineer  and 
firemen  caught  cat  naps  whenever  they  could. 
Captain  Ortega  was  probably  in  the  same 
state  with  his  three  male  passengers.  His 
duties  did  not  require  long  runs  as  a  rule,  but 
the  present  demand  having  arisen,  he  was 
equal  to  twenty  hours  or  more  at  a  stretch. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Tijcf  E  tropical  night  wore  away  and  the 
I  growing  light  in  the  east  showed 
that  day  was  dawning.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  men  who  wrought 
helow,  Miss  Starland  was  the  only  one  who 
slept  during  those  monotonous  hours,  but  she 
was  astir  early,  and  with  the  help  of  Martella 
set  about  preparing  the  morning  meal  for  the 
crew  and  passengers.  General  Yozarro 
could  be  counted  upon  to  carry  a  well  stocked 
larder,  and  little  solid  food  is  required  in  so 
warm  a  country.  Many  of  the  fish  in  the 
bifurcated  river  are  of  delicious  flavor,  but 
rice  and  fruit  form  the  principal  diet.  She 
prepared  coffee  and  the  first  food  that  was 
ready  was  taken  below  by  Martella  for  the 
men  who  did  the  hardest  work. 

"The  Captain  must  not  be  forgotten,  Mar- 
tella ;  will  you  carry  a  tray  to  him  1 ' ' 

"Not  for  all  the  gold  in  the  Eubio  Moun- 
tains ;  you  told  me  you  allowed  him  to  keep  his 
pistol." 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.         24T 

"True,  as  you  said,  it  isn't  best  to  tempt 
him  too  far;  I  will  take  his  food  to  him." 

"Permit  me  to  do  so,"  interposed  Captain 
Guzman,  who  thereupon  performed  the  pleas- 
ing task.  Ortega  was  first  invited  to  come  to 
the  cabin  to  join  them,  but  he  replied  that  his 
duties  required  him  to  remain  in  the  pilot 
house.  The  delicate  feeling  that  prompted 
his  refusal  was  understood  by  the  brother  and 
sister. 

Just  as  the  meal  was  finished,  all  were 
startled  by  the  hoarse,  tremulous  whistle 
overhead.  TT/O  long  blasts  sounded,  and  the 
clink  of  the  little  brass  lever  was  heard  as  it 
dropped  back  to  its  resting  place  against  the 
sounding  tube. 

"What  does  that  mean?"  asked  Major 
Starland,  who  the  next  moment  bounded  to 
his  feet  and  hurried  to  the  Captain,  with  Guz- 
man at  his  heels. 

"Captain,  what  is  the  cause  of  that  signal; 
have  you  so  soon  forgotten  your  neutrality!" 

"It  is  a  salutation  to  the  steamer  just  com- 
ing round  the  bend.  Listen ! ' ' 

A  sepulchral  tremolo  rumbled  across  the 
water,  and  the  topmast  of  a  craft  was  dis- 
cerned gliding  along  over  the  stunted  tops  of 


248  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

the  timber  growing  on  the  projecting  point  of 
land  which  for  the  moment  shut  the  hull  from 
view.  From  the  highest  point  fluttered  the 
most  beautiful  flag  ever  bathed  in  the  sun- 
light of  heaven.  It  seemed  to  be  bounding 
forward  as  if  borne  at  the  head  of  a  charging 
regiment. 

' '  By  heavens ! ' '  exclaimed  the  happy  Amer- 
ican, to  whom  the  answering  signal  was  one 
of  the  most  familiar  sounds  on  earth;  "that's 
the  Warrenia,  my  own  yacht!" 

"I  am  pleased  to  know  it,"  said  Captain 
Ortega. 

Miss  Starland  was  scarcely  behind  the 
others  in  climbing  to  the  upper  deck.  The 
Captain  lifted  his  hat,  they  smiled  at  each 
other,  but  there  was  no  other  sign  of  recogni- 
tion. 

First  the  clean  cut  prow,  with  the  pretty 
flag  of  the  Triton  Navy  dallying  from  the 
staff,  then  the  graceful  hull  and  the  peak  with 
the  flag  of  our  country  streaming  in  the  gale 
created  by  its  own  motion,  and  the  whole 
magnificent  craft  steamed  round  the  bend  and 
headed  toward  the  tugboat.  "With  dancing 
eyes  centered  upon  the  thrilling  picture,  our 
friends  saw  a  snowy  puff  shoot  upward  from 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         249 

the  brass  cylinder  and  the  old  welcome  sig- 
nal shuddered  across  the  water. 

"Will  the  Senorita  oblige  me  by  replying?" 
asked  Captain  Ortega.  The  radiant  young 
woman,  with  a  smile  and  inclination  of  her 
head,  but  with  no  further  evidence  that  they 
were  acquaintances,  stepped  into  the  door 
that  the  Captain  opened  for  her,  and  grasp- 
ing the  cord  answered  the  boat  named  for 
herself.  Then,  thanking  the  courteous  officer, 
she  passed  out  again  and  excitedly  waved  her 
handkerchief  at  a  lady  who  was  seen  standing 
in  front  of  the  others  at  the  bow. 

"That's  Aunt  Cynthia!  There!  she  has 
raised  her  glass!  She  knows  me!  Bless  her 
dear  heart ! ' ' 

The  woman  had  recognized  her  niece  and 
her  handkerchief  was  also  a-flutter.  An  un- 
derstanding was  had  through  the  signalling 
of  the  whistles  and  the  two  craft  rapidly  ap- 
proached each  other.  Major  Starland  swung 
his  hat  in  greeting,  again  the  whistles  bel- 
lowed across  the  decreasing  space  and  all  was 
gladness  and  joy. 

While  they  were  yet  too  far  apart  to  con- 
verse readily,  the  Major  had  noted  another 
form  near  the  pilot  house,  a  little  to  one  side 


250  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

of  Aunt  Cynthia.  It  was  bulky  and  broad,  was 
in  gorgeous  uniform  of  blue  and  gilt,  with  the 
golden  sash  high  up  in  front  and  low  at  the 
back,  and  the  point  of  his  scabbard  touching 
the  deck. 

"What  the  mischief  is  General  Bambos  do- 
ing there?" 

"Probably  he  is  a  self-invited  guest,"  sug- 
gested Captain  Guzman. 

"True,  and  I  can  afford  to  welcome  him;  it 
is  fortunate  that  the  yacht  took  aboard  new 
supplies  at  San  Luis." 

The  tinkling  of  signal  bells  and  the  revers- 
ing of  screws  and  the  shifting  over  of  wheels 
brought  the  two  boats  so  nearly  alongside  that 
conversation  became  facile  among  all  parties. 
Holding  off  the  General  Yozarro,  Captain 
Ortega  waited  to  know  the  wishes  of  his  chief 
passenger,  who  now  became  the  supreme  au- 
thority on  both  crafts. 

Under  the  manipulation  of  the  adepts  at 
the  respective  wheels,  the  boats  were  laid  be- 
side each  other  and  the  gangplank  of  the 
yacht  connected  the  two.  Miss  Starland  was 
the  first  to  run  across  and  was  clasped  in  the 
arms  of  her  delighted  relative.  Then  her 
brother,  Captain  Guzman  and  Martella  fol- 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA.         251 

lowed.  General  Bambos  bowed  as  nearly  to 
the  deck  as  he  could,  with  his  plumed  hat 
sweeping  the  air,  and  expressed  his  happiness 
at  meeting  the  charming  young  American 
senorita  again.  Then,  while  the  boats  re- 
mained lashed,  he  asked  an  explanation  of 
the  situation,  which  was  a  mystery  to  him  as 
it  was  to  nearly  all  the  others. 

Major  Starland  took  it  upon  himself  to  en- 
lighten him  and  his  friends,  doing  so  with  a 
succinctness  that  left  no  doubt  in  the  mind  of 
any  one.  The  broad  face  grew  solemn,  when 
he  succeeded  at  last  in  comprehending  the  re- 
markable story. 

"You  will  permit  me  to  say,  Major,  that 
you  have  committed  a  serious  international 
offence." 

"And  I  am  prepared  to  bear  all  the  conse- 
quences of  my  crime." 

"They  are  likely  to  be  graver  than  you 
seem  to  think;  it  is  your  duty,  first  of  all,  to 
apologize—" 

"Apologize  to  that  scoundrel  of  a  Yozarro ! 
I'll  see  him  hanged  first!" 

"You  will  not  deny  that  it  is  your  honor- 
able duty  to  restore  the  Atlamalcan  navy  to 
my  excellent  compatriot,  General  Yozarro." 


252  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"You  seem  to  be  concerned  for  the  brother 
with  whom,  only  a  day  or  two  ago,  you  were 
eager  to  go  to  war.  I  don't  want  that  old  tub 
which  he  calls  a  gunboat ;  he  is  welcome  to  it ; 
Atlamalco  holds  a  single  solitary  gentleman, 
Captain  Ramon  Ortega,  who  is  up  there  at  the 
wheel,  and  he  is  at  liberty  to  take  the  boat 
back  to  his  chief  with  my  compliments,  and 
that  chief  may  go  hang. ' ' 

"But  that  will  hardly  do;  you  took  it  by 
force  from  him  and  should  return  it  in  per- 
son. It  is  the  only  way  by  which  an  interna- 
tional complication  can  be  prevented." 

Yielding  to  an  impulse  inspired  by  the 
humor  of  the  situation,  Major  Starland  said : 

"Very  well;  I'll  take  it  upon  myself  to  de- 
liver the  General  Yozarro  to  its  owner  with 
my  own  hands." 


CHAPTEK  XXXTV. 

iJOE.  Jack  Starland  carried  out  his 
thoughtlessly  formed  plan.  *I  fear 
it  must  be  conceded  that  his  motive 
was  not  a  wholly  chivalrous  one. 
He  saw  the  chance  for  humiliating  the  man 
for  whom  he  felt  only  unmitigated  contempt. 
He  had  not  a  whit  of  respect  for  the  pompous 
Bambos,  but  the  ponderous  nuisance  had  not 
insulted  him  and  his  unpardonably.  No 
doubt  had  the  opportunity  come  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Zalapatan  Republic,  he  would  have 
acted  with  similar  dishonor,  but  in  the  affairs 
of  this  world,  men  are  judged  by  their  deeds 
instead  of  their  motives.  Only  One  can  be 
unerring  in  his  judgments. 

"  General  Bambos  and  I  will  go  aboard  the 
tugboat  and  steam  up  the  river  till  we  find 
Yozarro.  We  may  have  to  go  to  Atlamalco, 
but  it  makes  no  difference ;  the  Warrenia  will 
act  as  our  escort,  and  I  shall  make  sure  the 
affair  is  conducted  in  the  highest  style  of  the 

253 


254  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

art.  I  don't  wish  to  involve  my  government 
in  the  broil." 

Accordingly,  after  everything  had  been  ex- 
plained to  Captain  Winton  of  the  yacht,  the 
American  officer  and  the  General  walked  be- 
side each  other  across  the  gangplank,  which 
bowed  threateningly  nnder  the  unusual 
weight,  the  support  was  drawn  in,  and  both 
craft  began  moving  at  moderate  speed  up  the 
bifurcated  river.  The  Warrenia  dropped  a 
little  way  to  the  rear,  and  held  thus  while  the 
two  ascended  the  stream. 

Excusing  himself  for  a  few  minutes,  the 
Major  left  the  General  in  the  cabin  and  went 
forward  for  a  few  words  with  Captain  Ortega, 
who,  cigarette  in  mouth,  smilingly  saluted 
and  welcomed  him. 

"You  understand,  Captain,  the  arrange- 
ment that  has  been  made!" 

"I  heard  what  was  said;  you  have  agreed 
to  turn  over  this  boat  in  person  to  General 
Yozarro." 

The  American  nodded. 

"  You  will  permit  me  to  say,  Major,  that  you 
have  done  a  foolish  thing.  When  you  left  the 
gunboat  as  you  did,  I  was  free  to  pick  up  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.         255 

General  and  that  should  have  been  the  end  of 
the  affair." 

"True,  but  I  am  quite  willing  to  feed  his 
vanity  to  the  extent  demanded  by  General 
Bambos;  but  I  wish  to  say,  Captain,  that  I 
am  in  the  dark  as  to  where  we  shall  find  your 
President.  He  sailed  down  the  river  ahead 
of  us,  but  the  yacht  saw  nothing  of  him,  when 
it  seems  he  should  have  been  met,  and  we 
have  not  observed  him  on  our  way." 

"Pardon  me,  Major,  you  should  say  'I,'  not 
'we.'  " 

"Do  you  know  where  General  Yozarro  is"!" 

"I  have  known  for  several  hours;  I  believe 
my  status  has  been  changed  by  the  late  oc- 
currences and  I  may  speak  freely." 

"Unquestionably;  no  cause  remains  for  fur- 
ther secrets  between  us." 

"Then  I  may  say  that  some  hours  ago> 
when  you  stood  where  you  are  now  standing, 
discussing  this  question  with  me,  my  eyes 
were  resting  on  General  Yozarro." 

"You  astonish  me,  Captain;  be  more  ex- 
plicit." 

"I  knew  when  he  sailed  out  of  sight  around 
the  bend  in  the  river,  that  he  would  not  go 
far.  He  did  not.  He  ran  to  the  southern 


256  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

bant,  lowered  his  sail,  and  pnlled  the  boat  so 
far  under  the  overhanging  vegetation  that 
neither  you  nor  your  friends  noted  it.  Know- 
ing where  to  look,  I  was  more  fortunate.  The 
General  signalled  to  me  to  come  to  land,  so 
that  he  and  his  men  could  attack  you." 

' '  Why  did  you  not  do  so  ?  Yet  it  would  have 
been  your  death  warrant  to  have  made  the 
attempt. ' ' 

' '  That  was  not  the  reason  why  I  did  not  go 
to  him;  I  had  given  the  General  one  oppor- 
tunity, and  was  too  impatient  with  him  to  pro- 
vide a  second.  But,  more  than  that,  you  had 
my  parole. ' ' 

"True;  I  had  forgotten  that.  May  I  ask 
what  you  think  General  Yozarro  's  plan  is  ?  " 

"He  does  not  understand  why  I  refused  to 
obey  his  signal,  and  there  will  be  a  hot  quarrel 
over  it  when  we  meet.  He  expects  me  to  re- 
turn, sooner  or  later,  for  he  must  know  that 
the  purpose  of  yourself  is  to  reach  Zalapata 
with  the  Senorita,  after  which  I  shall  be  at 
liberty  to  return  to  Atlamalco.  I  shall,  there- 
fore, find  him  not  far  from  where  I  saw  him  a 
few  hours  ago. ' ' 

"I  beg  to  renew  the  assurances  of  my  dis- 
tinguished consideration,  Captain,"  said  the 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          257 

American,  saluting  and  passing  back  to  the 
cabin. 

The  massive  Dictator  of  the  Zalapatan  Re- 
public was  puffing  and  striding  to  and  fro 
over  the  short  length  of  the  cabin,  the  point 
of  his  scabbard  titillating  against  the  floor,  for 
his  steps,  though  of  moderate  length  for  an 
ordinary  man,  were  long  for  a  person  of  his 
build.  His  face  was  redder  than  ever,  and  it 
was  clear  that  he  was  agitated  over  some 
great  question  that  was  wriggling  through  his 
brain. 

When  he  wheeled  and  faced  the  American, 
he  whipped  off  his  plumed  hat  and  sagged 
down  upon  the  lounge  at  the  side  of  the  cabin. 
It  creaked  but  held. 

"Pardon  me,  General,  you  seem  disturbed 
in  mind,"  remarked  the  young  officer,  draw- 
ing up  a  stool  and  seating  himself  opposite. 

"I  am  disturbed,  Major;  nothing  in  all  the 
world  could  have  happened  to  cause  me 
greater  regret." 

"You  refer  to  the  affair  of  last  night;  I 
cannot  see  that  you  have  any  concern  with 
that." 

"Captain  Guzman  was  involved  with  you." 

"If  you  are  so  afraid  of  offending  General 


258  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Yozarro,  you  can  easily  disavow  the  act  of 
your  officer,  though  he  deserves  all  praise  for 
what  he  did." 

"Be  assured  that  I  shall  disavow  his  crime 
in  the  strongest  terms,  and,  if  General  Yoz- 
arro demands  it,  the  Captain  shall  be  severely 
punished. ' ' 

"The  other  day,  when  you  were  talking 
with  him  and  me,  you  were  hot  for  war 
against  Atlamalco. ' ' 

"True,  but  since  then  I  have  received  a 
great  light." 

The  amazed  American  waited  to.catch  a  ray 
himself,  but  it  came  not  and  he  said : 

"I  delivered  your  message  to  General  Yoz- 
arro yesterday." 

"And  he  received  it  graciously?" 

' '  Most  graciously ;  there  was  no  hint  about 
sending  me  back  to  you  from  the  muzzle  of 
one  of  his  cannon;  he  begged  me  to  assure 
you  he  would  have  your  complaint  inves- 
tigated and  would  do  his  utmost  to  meet  your 
demands. ' ' 

"What  I  might  have  expected  from  my 
noble  compatriot!"  exclaimed  the  Dictator 
with  greasy  unctuosity ;  "I  was  sure  of  it." 

* '  But  you  did  not  look  for  such'  magnanim- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         259 

ity,  when  in  council  with  Captain  Guzman 
and  me.  May  I  ask  to  what  is  due  this  marked 
change  of  sentiment  on  your  part?" 

General  Bambos  lifted  himself  to  his  feet 
and  swung  across  the  cabin  several  times, 
finally  crashing  back  to  his  former  seat  on  the 
vexed  lounge. 

"You  have  heard  of  General  Simon  Boli- 
var?" was  his  unexpected  question. 

"Who  has  not?  He  was  the  great  Libera- 
tor, born  in  Venezuela  in  1783,  who  freed 
Peru,  which  then  became  Bolivia,  and  was  re- 
jected by  Colombia,  because  she  did  not  know 
how  to  appreciate  his  greatness.  His  was  the 
finest  character  ever  produced  by  South 
America." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  that  you  appreciate 
him,"  said  General  Bambos,  his  small  black 
eyes  glowing. 

"The  greatest  compliment  ever  paid  Gen- 
eral Bolivar  was  when  he  was  called  the 
South  American  Washington.  He  is  the 
standard  by  which  the  world's  heroes  are 
measured." 

"You  have  many  heroes  in  the  United 
States ;  I  have  read  of  Abraham  Lincoln :  how 
does  he  compare  with  Washington?" 


260  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

1 1  The  two  stand  side  by  side,  and  sometimes 
it  is  hard  to  see  which  is  foremost.  One  was 
the  creator  and  the  other  the  preserver  of  his 
nation." 

"How  do  7  compare  with  Washington  and 
Lincoln  ?" 


CHAPTEK  XXXV. 

TirfE  qnestion  for  the  moment  took 
I  away  the  breath  of  the  American.  He 
looked  into  the  crimson,  flabby  coun- 
tenance and  wondered  if  the  man  was 
in  earnest.  He  was.  By  great  effort,  Major 
Starland  held  back  the  laugh  tugging  at  the 
corners  of  his  mouth. 

"Well,"  said  he,  pulling  himself  together 
and  speaking  slowly,  "perhaps  you  come,  say 
within  a  thousand  miles  of  each.  I  don't  see 
how  the  distance  can  be  shortened. " 

"That  depends  upon  the  place  yon  give 
others,"  blandly  observed  the  Dictator,  who 
accepted  the  rating  as  a  compliment;  "where 
do  you  place  General  Bolivar?" 

' '  I  should  have  to  make  careful  calculation ; 
he  might  come  within  a  mile  or  two,  but  re- 
member that  the  modern  world  has  not  yet 
produced  the  peer  of  George  Washington  or 
Abraham  Lincoln,  nor  do  I  see  any  signs  that 
she  is  likely  to  do  so.  Have  you  been  figuring 
on  a  comparison  yourself!" 


262  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"I  am  too  modest  to  claim  to  stand  on  the 
same  plane  with  either  of  your  great  heroes, 
but  reflection  convinces  me  that  I  have  been 
selected  by  heaven  to  be  the  successor  of  Gen- 
eral Simon  Bolivar." 

"Inasmuch  as  to  when!'*  said  the  Major 
gravely. 

"I  beg  pardon;  I  do  not  understand  your 
question,  Major." 

"I  wait  for  you  to  explain  your  meaning: 
what  is  your  ambition?" 

"It  is  to  form  a  grand  confederation  of 
South  American  states;  as  you  know,  our 
continent  is  divided  into  no  end  of  petty  re- 
publics. Why  should  they  not  unite  into  one 
powerful,  resistless  whole?" 

"The  only  obstacle  is  themselves;  each 
country  is  so  jealous  of  every  other  that  it 
prefers  to  fight  rather  than  to  fuse.  Zalapata 
and  Atlamalco  are  illustrations ;  they  are  con- 
tinually quarreling  and  at  war  over  trifles 
that  would  shame  a  couple  of  schoolboys." 

"All  that  is  ended;  henceforth  General  Yo- 
zarro  and  I  are  brothers,  and  the  two  repub- 
lics will  join  hands  in  the  path  of  progress. 
Our  example  will  be  quickly  followed  by 
Venezuela,  by  Colombia,  by  Ecuador,  by  Bo- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         263 

livia,  by  Brazil  and  all  the  states  down  to  and 
including  Patagonia.  Will  not  that  be  the 
grandest  confederation  the  world  ever  saw?" 

"Undoubtedly— when  it  is  formed.  Is  the 
conception  your  own,  General ?" 

* '  It  is ;  it  has  been  forming  in  my  mind  for 
weeks  and  months ;  more  than  once  I  was  in 
despair,  and  not  until  last  evening  did  the 
splendor  of  the  scheme  burst  upon  me  in  all 
its  fulness." 

"You  are  dreaming  what  others  dreamed 
before  you,  but  the  only  one  who  made  a  fair 
start  toward  its  realization  was  Simon  Boli- 
var, and  he  died  disappointed  and  broken- 
hearted. I  suppose  the  first  step  will  be  to 
send  ambassadors,  or  whatever  you  choose  to 
call  them,  to  the  different  republics  of  South 
America,  proposing  a  meeting  of  representa- 
tives to  consider  the  great  scheme?" 

"That  will  be  the  first  step.  It  will  take 
some  time  for  a  full  exchange  of  views,  and  a 
committee  will  be  named  from  each  govern- 
ment to  draw  up  the  plan  for  confederation. '  * 

"Your  scheme  contemplates  that  this  union 
shall  be  a  republic,  like  my  own  country?" 

"No  other  form  can  flourish  in  the  clear 
sunlight  of  liberty  of  South  America." 


264  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Not  the  least  important  step,  after  the 
plan  has  heen  formulated,  will  be  the  choice 
of  the  Chief  Magistrate;  who  should  he  be?" 

The  American  knew  what  was  coming,  but 
the  enjoyment  of  prodding  the  bulky  ignora- 
mus was  none  the  less  exquisite. 

"The  thoughts  of  all  would  naturally  turn 
to  the  man  who  originated  the  grand  scheme ; 
they  would  feel  profound  gratitude,  and  in- 
quire whether  he  is  competent  to  carry  out 
the  plan  and  make  the  dream  a  realization; 
an  immense  majority  will  insist  that  the  re- 
sponsibility and  honor  shall  go  to  him." 

"And  in  that  case  you  would  be  the  man?" 

The  little  head  wabbled  forward  on  the 
short  neck. 

*  *  There  can  be  no  forecasting  the  whims  of 
the  public ;  the  hero  of  to-day  is  the  traitor  of 
to-morrow,  and  vice  versa ;  suppose  some  one 
other  than  you  should  be  fixed  upon ;  suppose 
General  Yozarro  should  be  called  to  the  head 
of  the  confederation?" 

The  crimson  countenance  became  more 
crimson ;  the  breaths  shifted  to  pants,  and  the 
tiny  eyes  twinkled  with  a  sinister  light. 

"Impossible!  Such  an  outrage  can  never 
be." 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         265 

"Let  us  assume  that  it  does  come  about;  it 
is  best,  you  know,  to  consider  all  sides  of  an 
important  question. " 

' '  I  would  never  consent !  I  would  withdraw 
from  the  union!  I  would  shatter  the  whole 
scheme,  if  I  were  treated  with  such  shame- 
less ingratitude. ' ' 

"You  forget  that  each  republic  would  bring 
forth  its  own  particular  crop  of  favorite  sons, 
and  you  would  stand  no  more  chance  of  selec- 
tion than  I.  You  declare  yourself  warmly  in 
favor  of  the  confederation;  which  do  you 
place  the  higher,— the  beneficent  scheme  itself 
or  your  own  ambition?" 

"It  is  not  ambition,  sir,  but  simple  justice 
that  I  demand  and  will  have!" 

* '  Do  you  consider  yourself  the  only  man  on 
the  South  American  continent  qualified  to  be 
the  president  of  such  a  union?" 

"By  no  means;  there  are  plenty  beside  me, 
but  none  with  such  paramount  claims  to  the 
honor." 

"Admitting  this,  our  own  Washington  or 
Lincoln,  or  any  one  of  our  leaders,  was  ready 
at  all  times  to  lay  down  his  office  for  the  good 
of  his  country;  that,  and  only  that  spirit,  is 
true  patriotism;  I  don't  believe  there  are  ten 


266  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

native  men  between  Nicaragua  and  the  Straits 
of  Magellan,  who  have  ever  experienced  the 
feeling.  Your  strongest  republics  refuse  to 
pay  their  just  debts,  and  when  England,  Ger- 
many and  some  of  the  European  Powers  try 
to  compel  them  to  be  honest,  they  bellow  over 
the  Monroe  Doctrine  and  are  ready  to  fight 
the  United  States  because  she  won't  come 
down  and  help  them  play  the  defaulter. 

' '  No,  General ;  the  first  step  toward  the  suc- 
cess of  your  scheme  is  an  impossible  one ;  that 
is,  the  reconstruction  and  making  over  of  the 
genus  South  American.  When  somewhere  a 
so-called  republic  is  set  up,  and  a  President 
elected  for  a  term  strictly  defined  by  its  Con- 
stitution, the  President  refuses  to  go  out  of 
office  at  the  close  of  that  term  and  starts  a 
revolution.  Several  others  with  a  similar 
ambition  do  the  same,  and  there  you  have  the 
normal  republic  in  this  part  of  the  world. 
Atlamalco,  Zalapata  and  most  of  your  gov- 
ernments are  simply  world's  nuisances." 

"Your  statements,  sir,  are  not  only  false 
but  insulting ;  I  have  more  faith  in  my  patri- 
otic countrymen  than  you,  for  I  know  them 
better ;  they  are  brave,  unselfish,  long  suffer- 
ing  » 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          267 

General  Bambos  had  progressed  thus  far  in 
his  speech,  when  he  emitted  a  rasping  shriek, 
clapped  his  hand  behind  him  and  made  so 
tremendous  a  leap  that  his  crown  bumped 
against  the  ceiling  of  the  cabin.  At  the  same 
time,  the  tenor  of  his  remarks  abruptly 
changed,  and  he  danced  and  rubbed  with  pain. 
One  of  the  pestilent  "fire  ants"  of  his  country 
had  managed  to  snuggle  among  the  crevices 
of  the  lounge,  and  its  nip  was  like  that  of  a 
red  hot  pair  of  pincers. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Tinm  fire  ant  of  the  tropics  does  not 
I  merely  bite  into  the  animal  or  person 
who  disturbs  it,  but  bites  out,  as  may 
be  said.  It  abstracts  a  fragment  of 
one's  anatomy,  so  that,  had  General  Bambos 
been  placed  on  a  delicate  pair  of  scales  imme- 
diately before  and  after  his  nipping,  there 
would  have  been  an  appreciable  difference  in 
his  weight.  Since  Major  Starland  himself 
had  suffered  from  the  fierce  little  pest,  he 
understood  what  had  befallen  the  other.  He 
tried  to  express  his  sympathy,  but  instead, 
threw  back  his  head  and  gave  way  to  merri- 
ment. 

The  victim  was  suffering  too  much  from  his 
hurt  to  pay  heed  to  the  laughter  which  must 
have  struck  him  as  untimely,  but  no  doubt 
he  would  have  turned  on  the  American,  had 
not  the  hoarse  whistle  of  the  tugboat  sounded, 
and  brought  him  hurrying  from  the  cabin. 
They  were  nearing  the  bend  of  the  river 
268 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.         209 

around  which  the  Major  had  seen  the  catboat 
containing  General  Yozarro  and  his  friends 
disappear.  That  Captain  Ortega  was  right 
in  what  he  said  was  proved  by  the  emergence 
of  the  smaller  craft  from  under  the  heavy 
foliage  along  shore.  In  answer  to  the  signal 
of  the  tug,  it  glided  out  from  shelter,  pro- 
pelled by  two  of  the  men  with  poles.  The  sail 
was  not  hoisted,  for  the  wind  had  fallen  to  a 
calm.  The  Captain  turned  to  meet  the  cat- 
boat,  for  he  knew  the  depth  of  the  water  per- 
mitted him  to  run  close  to  the  bank,  but  he 
halted  when  a  few  rods  away  and  waited  for 
the  other  to  come  up. 

General  Yozarro  could  not  be  expected  fully 
to  understand  the  changed  conditions,  with 
the  American  yacht  steaming  forward  a  short 
way  behind  his  own  boat.  Captain  Ortega 
called  out  a  brief  explanation,  and  the  men 
continued  poling  until  the  smaller  craft  lay 
alongside  the  larger  one.  General  Bambos, 
holding  to  a  stanchion  with  one  hand,  reached 
down  with  the  other  and  helped  his  illustrious 
compatriot  to  climb  upon  his  own  property, 
the  others  following  more  nimbly,  until  all 
had  transferred  themselves,  and  the  catboat 
was  made  fast  by  one  of  the  crew. 


270  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

The  President  of  Zalapata,  saluting  and 
bowing  low,  conducted  the  other  dignitary  to 
the  cabin,  with  the  officers  trailing  after  them. 
For  the  moment,  Major  Starland  found  his 
situation  a  trifle  embarrassing.  General  Yo- 
zarro  scowled  savagely  at  him,  but  the  others 
paid  scant  attention.  There  was  some  crowd- 
ing, for  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  apart- 
ment was  of  slight  size.  The  American  waited 
till  a  lull  came  in  the  conversation  and  then, 
with  an  elaborate  military  salute,  said: 

"General  Yozarro,  I  have  the  honor  of  re- 
turning to  you  the  boat  which  necessity  com- 
pelled me  to  borrow  last  night. " 

The  General  had  seated  himself  on  the 
lounge,  at  the  risk  of  suffering  the  same  mis- 
hap which  had  befallen  his  neighbor  and  still 
kept  him  slyly  rubbing  the  injured  part.  He 
was  too  overflowing  with  rage  to  make  any 
pretence  to  the  courtesy  which  marked  their 
previous  chats.  His  prodigious  mustache 
bristled,  his  thick  lips  trembled  and  his  black 
eyes  gleamed  threateningly.  He  glared  >at 
the  American,  standing  among  his  own  offi- 
cers, who  made  what  room  they  could  for  him 
in  the  restricted  space,  and  when  he  could 
command  his  tumultuous  feelings,  he  spoke: 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         271 

"You  come  to  surrender  the  boat!  You 
surrender  yourself  also,  el  Americano!" 

"Well,  hardly;  I  stayed  aboard  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  my  friend,  General  Bambos,  that 
this  thing  might  be  done  in  due  and  ancient 
form.  American  citizens  are  not  in  the  habit 
of  surrendering  at  the  demand  or  whim  of 
any  South  American  nobody." 

Removing  his  hat,  the  Major  bowed  low  and 
smiled. 

"Does  he  speak  the  truth?"  bluntly  asked 
General  Yozarro,  turning  to  Bambos.  The 
face  of  the  American  flushed  at  the  slur,  but 
he  held  himself  in  hand. 

"He  does;  he  remained  at  my  request," 
said  General  Bambos  with  a  nod. 

"There  were  others  who  took  part  in  this 
crime;  one  of  them  was  Captain  Guzman  of 
your  staff,  General." 

"I  need  not  assure  you,  General,  that  it 
was  without  my  knowledge;  I  disavow  what 
he  did  and  will  reprimand  him;  if  Your  Ex- 
cellency demands  it,  I  will  have  him  shot." 

"Not  much!"  muttered  Major  Starland, 
loud  enough  for  all  to  hear ;  ."is  that  the  way 
you  reward  one  of  your  bravest  officers,  Gen- 
eral Bambos  T" 


272  rP  THE  FORKED  RIYER. 

"I  rule  in  Zalapata  without  the  aid  of  los 
Americanos,"  was  the  freezing  reply. 

"And  without  the  aid  of  common  gratitude 
and  decency,— that  is  evident." 

"I  will  take  the  matter  into  consideration," 
said  General  Yozarro,  whose  brain  was  not 
nimble  enough  to  decide  the  simplest  question 
off-hand.  "At  present,  I  do  not  demand  the 
death  of  Captain  Guzman,  but  I  thank  you 
for  your  words,  General,  which  is  only  one 
of  the  many  proofs  I  have  received  of  your 
disinterested  friendship." 

If  the  countenance  of  .General  Bambos  had 
not  already  been  as  crimson  as  it  could  well 
be,  he  would  have  blushed.  He  saluted  and 
muttered  something  about  the  pleasure  he 
felt  in  deserving  the  regard  of  his  distin- 
guished compatriot. 

General  Yozarro  strove  to  restrain  his 
anger,  but  it  was  plain  to  every  one  that  he 
was  seething  with  rage.  While  Major  Star- 
land  was  wondering  what  could  be  the  cause, 
the  explosion  came: 

"One  of  my  men,  the  basest  of  wretches, 
deserted  my  service  yesterday  and  allied 
himself  to  Captain  Guzman  and  to  you.  He 
sent  me  the  most  shockingly  insulting  of  mes- 


ADVENTURES  IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         273 

sages ;  since  he  is  not  on  this  boat,  he  must  be 
on  the  other. " 

"Such  is  the  fact,  General,"  replied  the 
Major,  compressing  his  lips,  but  looking 
straight  into  the  eyes  of  the  other. 

"He  must  be  surrendered  to  me." 

"I  receive  no  orders  from  you;  you  mur- 
dered the  brother  of  Martella,  though  he  had 
done  nothing  wrong;  the  message  he  sent  to 
you  was  not  respectful  perhaps,  but  it  was 
better  than  you  deserved;  Martella  has  done 
me  and  mine  the  best  of  service,  and  he  shall 
never  be  surrendered  to  you." 

The  fury  of  General  Yozarro  threatened 
to  suffocate  him.  He  rose  to  his  feet  and  the 
others  glanced  apprehensively  at  the  face  of 
the  man  who  had  dared  to  defy  the  terrible 
Dictator,  and  who  folded  his  arms  and  still 
looked  him  calmly  in  the  eye. 

"El  Americano,  you  are  here  on  my  boat 
and  here  you  will  stay  till  that  deserter  takes 
your  place.  I  give  you  the  choice;  if  he  is 
not  turned  over  to  me  to  be  shot,  you  shall  be 
shot  in  his  stead." 

With  all  his  contempt  for  this  man,  Jack 
Starland  had  never  dreamed  of  anything  like 
this.  The  words  of  Captain  Ortega  came 


074  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

back  to  him.  There  was  a  certain  shadowy 
strength  in  the  position  of  General  Yozarro. 
No  flag  of  truce  had  been  called  into  use,  and 
the  American,  after  having  forcibly  captured 
the  boat  of  the  other,  had  voluntarily  placed 
himself  in  his  power,  following  the  sugges- 
tion of  General  Bambos  and  his  own  im- 
pulses. 

It  was  Bambos  who  broke  the  oppressive 
hush  by  saying  to  him: 

"The  words  of  General  Yozarro  are  just; 
comply  with  what  he  demands,  and  he  will 
be  glad  to  restore  you  to  your  friends;  am  I 
not  correct,  General!" 

"I  suppose  so,"  was  the  sour  response. 

' '  Then  my  answer  is  that  I  '11  see  the  whole 
gang  of  you  hanged  first!  You  don't  get 
Martella  without  the  biggest  fight  of  your 
lives,  and  you  don't  keep  me  on  this  old  tub 
without  a  bigger  fight;  I'm  not  afraid  of  the 
whole  pack  of  jail  birds  of  you!" 


CHAPTER  XXXVn. 

RREST  him!"  commanded  General 
Yozarro,  speaking  directly  to  Col- 
onel Carlos  Del  Valle,  his  chief  of 
staff,  standing  next  to  the  Ameri- 
can; "put  him  in  irons." 

The  officer  addressed  reached  out  his  hand 
to  lay  on  the  shoulder  of  Jack  Starland,  who, 
at  that  instant,  recalled  the  knockout  hlow 
he  had  given  Cadet  Hillman  of  the  First  Class, 
one  memorable  spring  morning  at  old  Fort 
Putnam,  West  Point.  It  was  the  same  light- 
ning-like stroke  which  crashed  into  the  face 
of  the  colonel  and  sent  him  staggering  and 
toppling  back  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  cabin. 
Then,  whipping  out  his  revolver,  Starland 
backed  from  the  cabin,  ran  down  the  steps  to 
the  bow  of  the  boat,  and  before  any  one  sus- 
pected his  purpose,  shouted  to  his  own  execu- 
tive officer: 

"Captain  Winton,  I  am  betrayed!  Open 
fire,  and  sink  this  tug!" 

275 


276  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Then  lie  wheeled  about  and  with  leveled 
weapon,  added: 

"I  will  kill  the  first  man  who  attempts  to 
lay  a  finger  on  me!" 

General  Yozarro  and  his  officers  showed 
more  promptitude  than  would  have  been  ex- 
pected. Seeing  that  a  conflict  was  inevitable, 
they  set  out  to  win  by  their  own  quickness. 
Their  armament  was  heavier  than  that  of  the 
American  yacht,— that  is  to  say,  though  his 
pieces  carried  smaller  missiles,  he  had  two 
of  them,  while  that  of  the  Warrenia  was  a 
brass  saluting  twelve-pounder. 

The  port  gun  was  slewed  around  and 
pointed  at  the  other  craft,  now  within  twenty- 
five  yards,  and  in  a  twinkling  it  bore  fairly. 

"Fire!"  shouted  the  excited  General,  too 
savage  to  regard  the  usual  preliminaries. 

Major  Starland  shuddered,  for  he  saw  the 
gun  seemingly  directed  true  and  knew  it  must 
do  great  destruction  on  his  yacht.  The  gun- 
ner snapped  the  lanyard,  but  a  dull  click 
followed  and  there  was  no  discharge. 

General  Yozarro  uttered  an  oath  and  Cap- 
tain Ortega  called  from  the  pilot  house : 

"That  is  the  one  which  was  not  loaded !" 

Jack  Starland  had  forgotten  the  fact  in 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA.         277 

tbfc  3urry  of  the  moment.  He  smiled  and 
looked  across  at  his  own  boat.  Captain  Win- 
ton  did  not  throw  away  a  second.  He  signalled 
to  the  engine  room,  quickly  veered,  and  the 
brass  twelve-pounder  was  pointed  fairly  at 
the  tug.  Meantime,  by  working  frantically, 
the  gunners  quickly  loaded  the  piece  on  the 
Atlamalcan  craft  and  swung  it  around  to  bear 
on  the  other. 

"Look  out  for  the  Major!"  called  Captain 
"Winton;  "he  is  standing  at  the  front." 

"While  the  native  gunners  were  awaiting 
the  critical  second,  there  was  a  white  puff,  a 
red  belch  of  flame,  and  a  thunderous  report 
rolled  over  the  river  and  against  the  shores. 
A  smashing  sound,  the  splintering  of  wood 
and  a  number  of  yells  followed,  the  ball  hav- 
ing torn  its  way  through  the  cabin  and 
splashed  into  the  river  beyond. 

In  this  crisis,  General  Yozarro  displayed 
unexpected  coolness.  General  Bambos  hur- 
riedly sagged  down  behind  the  pile  of  wood 
at  the  front,  as  if  mortally  hurt,  but  he  was 
merely  taking  precautions  against  becom- 
ing so. 

"Quick!"  roared  General  Yozarro;  "sink 
their  boat!" 


278  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

The  haste  was  unwise,  for  the  gunners  were 
not  wholly  lacking  in  skill,  but  they  were 
flustered  by  the  furious  orders  of  their  brutal 
chief,  and  fired  sooner  than  they  intended.  It 
would  have  seemed  that  with  so  brief  a  dis- 
tance separating  the  combatants  a  miss  was 
impossible ;  but  the  heavy  missile  only  grazed 
the  foremast,  dropping  somewhere  among 
the  trees  on  the  southern  shore. 

"Hurrah!"  shouted  the  delighted  Major, 
swinging  his  hat;  "let  the  good  work  go  on! 
Keep  it  up !  The  Stars  and  Stripes  forever  I" 

Colonel  Del  Valle  had  recovered  from  the 
fierce  blow  that  sent  him  spinning  across  the 
cabin  and  was  aflame  with  anger.  He,  too, 
had  a  revolver,  and,  heedless  of  the  wild  tur- 
moil and  confusion,  in  which  a  half  dozen 
were  injured  by  the  flying  splinters,  he 
sneaked  forward  toward  the  hurrahing  Ameri- 
can. He  raised  his  hand  tremulous  with  fury, 
and  sighting  as  well  as  he  could  through  his 
watery,  bloody  eyes,  let  fly. 

The  crack  of  the  weapon  amid  the  tumult 
caused  Major  Starland  to  turn  like  a  flash. 
He  saw  he  had  forgotten  himself,  and  that  in 
all  probability  he  had  a  fight  on  his  hands. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          279 

"I  don't  want  to  kill  you,  Colonel,  but  you 
need  a  lesson." 

The  officer  was  backing  away,  when  at  the 
flash  of  the  other  weapon,  he  uttered  a  howl 
and  skurried  into  the  cabin  with  his  right  arm 
dangling  useless.  The  American  saw  his 
pistol  fall,  and  darting  forward,  picked  it  up. 
He  now  had  two  revolvers,  and  with  only  a 
single  empty  chamber  in  each.  He  backed 
against  the  pile  of  wood,  to  prevent  any  one 
getting  behind  him,  and  confronted  the  mob. 
Moreover,  it  was  necessary  that  his  friends 
should  see  where  he  was  in  order  to  avoid 
harming  him. 

A  gun  on  each  boat  had  been  fired,  and  it 
now  became  a  race  as  to  which  could  reload 
and  fire  again.  The  American  won,  because 
of  a  slight  advantage  at  the  start.  No  at- 
tempt was  made  on  the  tugboat  to  bring  the 
second  piece  into  action.  The  captains  of 
each  craft  displayed  admirable  skill.  Cap- 
tain Winton  tried  to  keep  out  of  range  of  his 
enemy,  but  Captain  Ortega  swung  around  so 
as  to  hold  him  in  direct  line  all  the  time. 

Starland's  mate  and  one  of  his  seamen  were 
handling  the  cannon  on  the  yacht.  The  latter 
had  served  at  Manila  and  knew  his  business. 


280  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

As  cool  as  if  taking  part  in  the  naval  maneu- 
vers, he  waited  until  sure  the  second  shot 
would  do  the  business.  Without  giving  heed 
to  the  crew  striving  desperately  to  bring  the 
other  gun  to  bear,  he  crouched  till  the  gun  was 
pointed  exactly  right  and  then  blazed  away. 

He  had  aimed  at  the  screw  of  the  tugboat 
and  he  struck  it  so  fairly  that  the  stem 
snapped  off  and  the  blades  dropped  to  the 
bottom  of  the  river.  This  was  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  the  mate,  who,  not  wishing  to  kill  any 
one,  only  sought  to  put  the  other  craft  out  of 
action. 

It  was  done.  The  tug  was  as  helpless  as  a 
log,  but  not  until  Captain  Ortega  called  from 
the  pilot  house,  making  known  the  nature  of 
the  disaster,  did  General  Yozarro  understand 
the  mortal  injury  his  navy  had  received. 

"Bully!"  shouted  the  Major;  "put  the 
next  shot  through  her  boiler !  Don 't  mind  me ! 
I  can  swim  and  don't  care  for  a  little  thing 
like  being  blown  up!" 

General  Bambos  heard  the  terrifying  news 
and  climbed  tremblingly  to  his  feet. 

"Don't  let  them  fire  again!  We  shall  all 
be  killed!" 

"Only  one  thing  can  save  you,"  replied 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.         281 

the  Major  aglow  with  the  light  of  triumphant 
battle ;  *  '  run  up  the  white  flag !  The  next  shot 
will  send  you  to  kingdom  come!" 

It  was  General  Yozarro,  who,  catching  the 
panic,  whipped  out  his  white  silken  handker- 
chief, and  standing  within  arm's  length  of 
his  prisoner,  excitedly  fluttered  it  aloft. 

" Cease  firing!"  commanded  Major  Star- 
land;  "they  have  surrendered !" 


CHAPTER  XXXVIH. 

TidE  notice  was  in  the  nick  of  time. 
I   The  gun  on  the  yacht  was  loaded  and 
trained  again,  and,  had  it  been  fired, 
would  have  played  the  mischief  on 
the  Atlamalcan  boat. 

Captain  Winton  began  edging  the  War- 
renia  toward  the  other,  with  the  purpose  of 
running  alongside  and  receiving  its  submis- 
sion. Reading  his  intention,  Major  Starland 
called : 

''Don't  do  that!  You  can't  trust  these 
scoundrels!  They  will  board!" 

"That's  what  we  want  'em  to  do!"  called 
back  the  captain. 

"I'd  like  it  too,  but  we  have  ladies  to  look 
after ;  send  a  boat  to  take  off  General  Yozarro 
and  me." 

In  the  midst  of  the  hubbub  and  confusion, 

Captain  Ortega  was  seen  to  lean  out  of  the 

window  of  the  pilot  house,  quickly  level  his 

revolver  and  fire  in  the  direction  of  the  Amer- 

282 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH    AMERICA.          283 

lean.  It  looked  like  a  deliberate  attempt  to 
assassinate  the  unsuspecting  officer  before 
anyone  could  interfere.  Jack  Starland  did 
not  observe  the  act,  but  the  cry  of  a  man  along- 
side of  him  caused  him  to  turn  his  head.  Tak- 
ing advantage  of  the  confusion,  one  of  Gen- 
eral Yozarro's  officers  had  slipped  behind 
the  American  unnoticed  by  him,  and  was 
stealing  upon  him  with  drawn  knife.  The 
two  Generals  could  not  have  failed  to  see  him, 
but  neither  interposed.  A  few  seconds  more 
and  the  weapon  would  have  been  driven  into 
the  back  of  Starland.  Captain  Ortega,  how- 
ever, sent  his  bullet  straight  and  true,  the 
miscreant  falling  dead  in  his  tracks. 

Still  leaning  out  of  the  window,  with  smok- 
ing pistol  in  hand,  Captain  Ortega,  as  cool 
as  ever,  made  himself  heard  above  the  din : 

"You  mustn't  forget  down  there  that  we 
have  surrendered !" 

The  wheel  being  useless,  he  now  came  out 
of  the  pilot  house  and  stood  like  a  general 
overlooking  and  directing  his  forces. 

It  was  begun  and  ended,  as  may  be  said,  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye.  Jack  Starland  did 
not  forget  the  lesson.  He  was  yet  in  the  midst 
of  as  treacherous  a  lot  of  wretches  as  so  many 


UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Apaches.  He  edged  farther  forward  with  his 
glances  alternating  between  his  own  craft  and 
the  excited  throng  near  him,  and  so  alert  that 
further  interference  in  his  behalf  was  un- 
necessary. 

Looking  up  to  Captain  Ortega,  he  caught 
his  eye  and  saluted: 

"Thank  you  with  all  my  heart!" 

The  other  returned  the  salute  but  did  not 
speak.  His  weapon  was  still  in  his  hand  and 
not  a  movement  below  eluded  him.  Generals 
Bambos  and  Yozarro  were  standing  beside 
each  other,  the  latter  with  his  handkerchief 
still  in  his  hand,  though  he  ceased  to  flutter  it, 
since  the  necessity  had  passed.  Now  and  then 
the  two  spoke  in  low  tones,  for  the  turmoil 
was  succeeded  by  a  hush  that  was  impressive. 

The  order  of  Major  Jack  was  obeyed  on 
board  his  own  boat.  Holding  the  yacht  so 
that,  like  the  other,  it  drifted  with  the  current, 
the  tender  was  lowered,  and  two  seamen  en- 
tered and  began  rowing  toward  the  motion- 
less tug.  With  slow,  even  strokes  and  with- 
out any  sign  of  misgiving,  they  rounded  to 
alongside.  Major  Starland  shoved  one  re- 
volver in  his  pocket,  where  it  could  be  in- 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         285 

stantly  drawn,  and  held  the  other  ready  for 
any  emergency. 

"You  first,  General,"  he  said  bowing  to 
the  leader  who  had  surrendered. 

Holding  back,  he  sullenly  asked : 

"Why  should  I  go  aboard  your  vessel?" 

"In  accordance  with  the  rules  of  civilized 
warfare,  of  which,  of  course,  you  know 
nothing.  For  the  first  time  in  your  life  you 
will  be  among  gentlemen,  and,  therefore,  need 
feel  no  fear." 

With  ill  grace,  the  Dictator  stepped  care- 
fully down  and  seated  himself  at  the  bow  of 
the  smaller  boat. 

"And  now  myself,"  was  the  good  natured 
remark  of  the  American,  as  he  lightly  fol- 
lowed. It  was  a  trying  moment,  for  he  half 
expected  a  shot  in  the  back,  even  though  it 
would  have  meant  the  death  of  General  Yo- 
zarro  and  the  destruction  of  the  tugboat. 
Captain  Ortega  must  have  feared  something 
of  the  kind,  for  he  stepped  to  the  edge  of  the 
upper  deck,  leaned  forward  with  his  revolver 
grasped  and  kept  a  keen  watch  upon  every 
man.  It  is  not  impossible  that  his  vigilance 
averted  a  tragedy. 

With  the  same  even  stroke,  the  small  boat 


286  tJP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

was  rowed  across  the  brief,  intervening  space, 
and  the  mate,  Dick  Horton,  reached  down, 
took  the  hand  of  the  General  and  gave  so 
lusty  a  pull  that  he  stumbled  forward  and 
barely  saved  himself  from  sprawling  on  his 
hands  and  knees.  The  next  instant  Jack 
sprang  among  his  friends,  who  crowded 
around,  grasped  his  hands  and  showered  him 
with  congratulations. 

During  the  flurry,  Aunt  Cynthia  and  Miss 
Starland  had  been  kept  beyond  reach  of  harm, 
but  they  were  now  among  the  group  that  wel- 
comed the  owner  of  the  pretty  craft. 

"Had  you  wished  to  give  them  the  safest 
place,"  said  he,  "you  should  have  let  them 
stand  at  the  bow  in  plain  sight." 

"Only  the  fear  of  a  possible  accident  pre- 
vented that  being  done,"  replied  the  mate. 

When  General  Yozarro  saw  the  young 
woman  in  the  laughing,  happy  company,  he 
took  off  his  hat,  bowed  low  and  said  with  his 
old-time  obsequiousness : 

"The  pain  of  this  meeting  is  turned  to  de- 
light by  the  sight  once  more  of  your  beaute- 
ous countenance  and  your  charming  self." 

Looking  him  in  the  eyes,  she  measured  her 
words: 


ADVENTURES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA.         287 

"Que  V.  se  atreva  a  dirigirse  a  mi,  es  el 
mayor  insulto  de  mi  vida." 

The  face  crimsoned  as  if  from  the  sting  of 
a  whiplash  across  the  eyes,  and  those  of  the 
bystanders  who  understood  the  words,  broke 
into  a  thrilling  murmur  of  applause.  Gen- 
eral Yozarro  tried  to  hide  his  repulse  by  turn- 
ing to  Major  Starland : 

"I  have  come  aboard  this  vessel  at  your 
command;  what  do  you  desire  of  me?" 

"Your  sword." 

The  Dictator  meekly  drew  the  blade  from 
its  scabbard  and  extended  the  hilt  toward  the 
American,  who  recoiled. 

' '  I  refuse  it ;  keep  it ;  and  take  with  you  the 
remembrance  that  the  most  dangerous  thing 
mortal  man  can  fool  with  is  an  American." 

"Are  you  through!" 

'  *  I  am,  and  I  hope  never  to  look  upon  your 
face  again." 

"Mai  rayo  te  parta!  Your  wish  is  recipro- 
cated; I  will  return  to  my  boat." 

"Adios,  General  Yozarro!" 

The  sullen  fellow  made  no  reply,  and  was 
assisted  over  the  side  and  rowed  back  to  the 
crippled  tug  by  the  two  sailors  who  had 
brought  him  away.  During  the  unique  inter- 


288  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

view,  the  crew  and  officers  crowded  the  gun- 
wale and  watched  proceedings  with  the  keen- 
est interest.  Among  them  was  the  bulky 
General  Bambos. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

T  may  be  thought  that  the  most  gall- 
ing experience  of  General  Yozarro 
was  the  scarifying  repulse  of  Miss 
Starland,  when  he  presumed  to  ad- 
dress her;  but  unknown  to  all  except  the 
author  of  the  insult  and  himself,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  taste  a  deeper  dreg  in  the  cup  of 
wormwood  and  gall.  While  he  paused,  facing 
the  group  of  Americans,  a  man  on  the  outer 
fringe  succeeded  in  catching  his  eye  and  made 
the  most  taunting  grimace  conceivable.  He 
repeated  it  several  times,  the  last  being  ac- 
companied by  a  flirt  of  the  forefinger  across 
the  throat  to  signify  that  that  was  the  way  he 
would  like  to  serve  the  murderous  tyrant. 
The  man  who  thus  grossly  insulted  him  was 
Martella,  the  deserter,  who  chuckled  with 
delight  when  he  heard  the  stinging  answer 
given  to  General  Yozarro  by  Miss  Starland. 
The  others  were  too  interested  in  what  was 
going  on  before  them  to  observe  the  by-play. 

289 


290  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

General  Yozarro  set  his  teeth  and  took  conso- 
lation in  the  thought : 

"General  Bambos  will  give  him  to  me  and 
I  will  punish  him;  I  will  do  the  same  with 
Captain  Guzman  for  aiding  the  foul  ingrate. ' ' 

But  the  Dictator  never  did  either.  Jack 
Starland  was  not  the  one  to  forget  the  service 
of  his  friends.  He  had  no  trouble  in  persuad- 
ing Martella  to  engage  himself  as  one  of  the 
firemen  on  the  Warrenia,  for  wages  that  were 
three-fold  what  he  had  received— when  he 
did  receive  them  which  was  not  often— in  his 
own  country.  Something  in  the  nature  of  a 
compromise  was  made  with  Captain  Guzman. 
He  could  not  be  induced  to  go  so  far  as  the 
great  Republic  of  the  North,  but  halted  at 
Caracas. 

"I  am  so  accustomed  to  revolutions,"  said 
he  with  a  grin  and  shrug,  "that  I  should  die 
of  weariness  in  your  noble  country,  but  here 
I  shall  have  all  that  my  heart  craves." 

"It  has  much  that  look,"  replied  Major 
Starland,  as  he  shook  him  by  the  hand,  after 
compelling  him  to  accept  a  generous  douceur 
from  himself  and  Miss  Starland. 

Returning  from  this  digression,  the  small 
boat  was  kept  under  careful  survey  until  it 


ADVENTURES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.          291 

returned  from  the  General  Yozarro.  Some 
feared  that  a  musket  shot  might  be  fired  at  the 
seamen,  for  the  Atlamalcan  is  hot-headed  and 
reckless,  and  the  fully  loaded  saluting  gun 
was  kept  pointed. 

"If  I  have  to  fire  again,"  grimly  said  the 
mate,  "I  shall  send  the  ball  through  her 
boiler,  and  sink  the  whole  gang.*' 

Fortunately  the  necessity  did  not  arise.  The 
most  prominent  form  on  the  tug  was  that  of 
Captain  Ramon  Ortega,  standing  in  front  of 
the  pilot  house  on  the  upper  deck.  Pistol  in 
hand,  his  watchfulness  no  doubt  prevented 
any  treacherous  act,  for  all  who  knew  him 
knew  his  unflinching  sense  of  honor  and  his 
personal  bravery.  When  the  peril  passed,  he 
put  away  his  weapon  and  stood  with  hands 
thrust  in  the  side  pockets  of  his  light  jacket. 

Up  went  the  hand  of  Miss  Starland  and  she 
fluttered  aloft  her  handkerchief. 

"I  see  no  reason  why  he  should  not  recog- 
nize me  as  a  friend  now/'  she  explained  to 
the  Major  at  her  side. 

The  other  saw  her  and  lifted  his  hat  and 
bowed  low.  Jack  Starland  did  the  same  and 
called  a  cheery  good  bye  to  him. 

"He   is   the   foremost   gentleman   of   the 


292  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Atlamalcan  Republic,  and  Senorita  Manuela 
will  secure  a  prize  in  him." 

"No  greater  than  he  will  secure  in  her;  but 
what  is  to  become  of  them?" 

"Of  whom?" 

"  Their  boat  is  so  injured  that  they  are 
helpless." 

"No  doubt  General  Yozarro  will  be  able  to 
float  another  loan  big  enough  to  provide  his 
navy  with  a  new  screw;  until  then,  he  may/ 
limp  along  as  best  he  can." 

At  this  moment,  Mate  Horton  came  forward 
with  the  same  question. 

"We  might  tow  them  down  to  Zalapata, 
even  with  General  Bambos  on  board,  but  I  am 
not  impressed  that  it  is  my  duty.  Let  them 
drift  with  the  current  and  they  will  bump  up 
somewhere.  It  is  well  that  they  should  have 
a  few  hours  for  meditation.  Besides,  they 
have  the  tender  and  catboat  and  can  send 
ashore  for  help,  if  they  need  it.  No ;  I  shall 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  the  gang;  they 
must  look  out  for  themselves." 

Captain  Winton  emitted  a  resounding  blast 
from  the  whistle,  to  which  the  tug  responded, 
and  steamed  down  the  river.  His  intention 
was  to  maintain  a  moderate  speed,  passing 


ADVENTURES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA.         293 

Zalapata  without  stop,  and  to  make  the  first 
halt  at  San  Luis,  which  ought  to  be  reached 
some  time  during  the  night. 

The  Captain  did  not  forget  one  important 
fact.  While  he  had  been  fortunate  in  ascend- 
ing the  forked  river,  he  had  the  slightest  pos- 
sible knowledge  of  it.  The  utmost  circum- 
spection was  necessary  on  his  part.  The 
stream  was  broad  and  deep,  but  it  had  its 
snags,  its  "sawyers"  like  the  Mississippi, 
and  its  dangerous  shoals  and  shallow  places. 
An  experienced  pilot  can  generally  locate 
such  spots  by  the  crinkling  circles  at  the  sur- 
face, but  there  was  a  certain  risk  which  would 
baffle  even  Captain  Ortega.  Below  San  Luis, 
the  river  so  broadened  and  deepened,  and  was 
so  comparatively  free  from  obstructions  that 
practically  all  peril  would  be  left  behind. 

Captain  Winton  strove  unremittingly  to 
keep  the  channel,  though  that  was  not  always 
possible.  His  good  fortune  in  coming  up  the 
stream  gave  him  confidence  of  making  the 
down  trip  in  safety.  Fifteen  minutes  after 
expressing  this  belief  to  Major  Starland,  the 
bow  of  the  yacht  suddenly  rose  several  feet, 
there  was  a  quick  slackening  of  speed  and  the 
boat  settled  to  rest.  No  one  needed  to  be  told 


294  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

what  it  meant :  the  Warrenia  had  run  npon  a 
mud  bank  and  was  fast 

"Captain  Ortega's  performance  over 
again!"  said  Major  Starland,  "with  the  ex- 
ception that  he  did  it  on  purpose  and  I  don't 
think  you  did." 

"I  am  somewhat  of  the  same  opinion  my- 
self," growled  the  Captain,  "but  here  we 
must  stay  for  several  hours  at  the  least." 

An  instant  investigation  showed  that  the 
yacht  had  suffered  no  injury.  She  was 
staunchly  built,  and  the  impact  was  like  that 
of  a  solid  body  against  yielding  cotton.  Had 
the  mud  been  rock  or  compact  earth  the  result 
must  have  been  disastrous. 

The  screw  was  kept  viciously  going,  but  it 
could  not  drag  the  boat  off.  Then  the  crew 
toiled  for  an  hour  shifting  what  was  movable 
to  the  stern,  but  without  result.  Next,  an 
anchor  was  carried  a  hundred  feet  up  stream 
and  imbedded  in  the  oozy  bed  of  the  river, 
while  sturdy  arms  on  board  tugged  at  the  con- 
necting hawser  by  means  of  a  windlass,  with 
the  screw  desperately  helping,  but  the  hull 
would  not  yield  an  inch.  Finally  the  efforts 
were  given  up.  Nothing  remained  but  to  wait 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         295 

till  the  rising  tide  should  lift  the  mountain- 
ous burden  and  swing  it  free. 

When  the  accident  occurred,  the  tug  had 
been  left  far  out  of  sight  in  the  winding 
stream,  but  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
it  slowly  drifted  into  view  around  a  sweeping 
bend.  The  fact  of  its  coming  sideways  showed 
that  it  was  swayed  wholly  by  the  current. 

"That  is  curious,"  remarked  the  puzzled 
Major  to  Mate  Horton;  "why  don't  they 
anchor,  or  pole  to  land,  or  tow  the  tug  ashore 
with  the  smaller  boats?  There  is  no  need  of 
letting  the  vessel  become  a  derelict  simply 
because  she  has  lost  her  screw." 

The  interest  of  those  on  the  yacht  naturally 
centred  in  the  gradually  approaching  craft, 
which  was  closely  scanned  through  the  various 
glasses.  Miss  Starland  stood  beside  her 
brother,  her  instrument  leveled,  while  he  used 
only  his  unaided  eyes.  After  a  time  he  re- 
marked : 

"That  boat  seems  to  be  moving  slowly." 

"It  isn't  moving  at  all." 

She  handed  the  binocular  to  him,  and  a  mo- 
r.ient  after  pointing  it,  he  exclaimed: 

"You  are  right;  it  looks  as  if  they  did  not 
care  for  a  closer  acquaintance." 


296  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

Mate  Horton  joined  them.  He  Had  noticed 
the  same  thing. 

"What  do  you  make  of  it,  Major !" 

He  glanced  at  Miss  Starland  and  then  at 
his  friend  without  speaking.  She  caught  the 
by-play. 

"Don't  be  afraid  to  speak  before  me;  you 
do  not  seem  to  have  noticed  something  else 
about  the  boat  yonder.'* 

"What  is  that!" 

"It  has  a  good  many  more  men  on  board 
than  when  we  parted  company  with  it. ' ' 


CHAPTER  XL. 

JACK  STARLAND  flashed 
up  the  glass  and  studied  the  other 
craft. 

"By  Jove!  you  are  right;  where 
do  you  suppose  they  came  from,  Dick  ? ' ' 

"The  General  must  have  established  com- 
munication with  his  friends  soon  after  we 
left  him;  he  certainly  has  a  strong  crew." 

"That  means  he  intends  to  attack  us;  it 
looks  as  if  there  is  to  be  a  naval  battle  between 
an  American  yacht  and  the  navy  of  the  At- 
lamalcan  Republic/' 

It  was  Miss  Starland  who  said  this  without 
a  trace  of  excitement,  and  as  if  the  impending 
struggle  was  of  only  passing  interest. 

"She  is  right,"  observed  the  mate;  "it  is 
hard  to  tell  which  has  the  advantage  with  one 
crippled  and  the  other  hard  aground." 

"They  will  wait  till  night  and  then  come  at 
us  in  their  small  boats.  As  nearly  as  I  can 
make  out,  they  have  all  of  twenty  men  on 

297 


298  EP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

board.  "What  is  your  opinion,  Miss  Star- 
Band?" 

She  pointed  the  glass  .again  for  several 
minutes  before  replying: 

"There  are  nearer  forty,  for  it  is  certain 
that  some  are  keeping  out  of  sight.  I  sup- 
pose they  are  well  armed,  and  it  seems  to  me 
we  are  in  a  bad  situation." 

"There's  no  denying  it,"  remarked  her 
brother  with  a  grave  face;  "they  will  wait 
till  night  and  then  dash  upon  us  from  several 
sides  at  the  same  time ;  the  hour  or  two  before 
the  moon  rises  will  be  their  opportunity." 

"But  why,"  was  the  natural  feminine  in- 
quiry, "does  General  Yozarro  molest  us?  He 
has  always  claimed  to  be  your  friend,  and, 
until  today,  has  treated  us  both  with  courtesy. 
What  pretext  can  he  offer  for  his  course?" 

"While  there  is  little  in  his  excuse,  it  will 
Joubtless  be  that  the  owner  of  this  yacht  cap- 
tured his  flimsy  tug  which  he  persists  in  call- 
ing a  gunboat,  or  rather  that  I  stole  it,  for 
which  offence  he  means  to  punish  me." 

"Will  he  not  in  the  end  have  to  reckon  with 
rur  government?" 

"Yes,  but  he  must  first  reckon  with  us;  the 
affair  is  a  ridiculous  one  in  which  to  involve 


ADVENTURES    IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

the  United  States,  and  I  shall  not  feel  proud 
of  my  part,  if  forced  to  make  the  appeal ;  but 
General  Yozarro  will  find  it  is  no  child's  play 
in  which  he  engages  when  he  attacks  us.  We 
have  not  a  very  full  supply  of  small  arms  on 
hoard,  but  we  shall  make  things  lively  for 
him." 

When  night  closed  in,  the  relative  position 
of  the  two  craft  was  unchanged.  Every  pos- 
sible preparation  was  made  on  the  yacht,  for 
there  could  be  no  doubt  of  the  hostile  inten- 
tions of  the  Atlamalcans.  A  small  boat  was 
seen  to  leave  its  side  and  pass  to  the  southern 
shore.  Followed  through  the  glasses,  it  die- 
closed  two  seamen  swaying  the  oars,  but  when 
it  returned  after  a  brief  absence,  it  held  six 
passengers.  The  crew  of  the  crippled  tug  was 
fast  growing  and  General  Yozarro  had  cer- 
tainly made  good  use  of  his  time. 

The  twelve-pounder  of  the  Warrenia  was 
loaded  to  the  muzzle.  Six  rifles  were  distrib- 
uted among  the  men,  several  of  whom  had  re- 
volvers and  all  knives.  Lookouts  were  placed 
at  all  points.  The  conviction  was  that  during 
the  brief  period  of  gloom  before  the  rising 
of  the  moon,  two  or  three  or  possibly  more 
small  boats,  crowded  with  armed  men,  would 


300  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

dash  simultaneously  upon  the  grounded  craft 
and  strive  desperately  to  board  her. 

The  sanguinary  fight  that  impended,  with 
the  certain  loss  of  life  on  both  sides,  could  be 
averted  by  a  surrender,  which  calm  judgment 
would  have  justified  under  the  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, but  it  was  not  strange  that  even 
Miss  Starland  and  Aunt  Cynthia  hinted 
nothing  of  that  nature.  As  for  the  officers  and 
crew,  they  eagerly  awaited  the  conflict  with 
a  band  whom  they  despised.  Although 
greatly  outnumbered,  not  one  doubted  their 
ability  to  repel  the  attempt  to  board.  There 
was  only  one  condition  that  they  would  have 
changed ;  that  was  the  presence  of  the  ladies. 
They  could  be  safeguarded  during  the  fight, 
but  it  would  have  been  better  had  they  been 
far  away.  Such  absence,  however,  was  im- 
possible and  no  one  referred  to  it. 

But  the  naval  battle  never  took  place. 
When  all  the  defenders  were  alert  and  on 
edge,  it  was  observed  that  the  yacht  was  float- 
ing. The  disappointment  was  felt  keenly 
even  by  the  bellicose  cook.  There  was  a  gen- 
eral peering  into  the  gloom  in  the  hope  of  dis- 
cerning the  approaching  boats,  and  a  sigh 
when  they  failed  to  appear. 


ADVENTURES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.         301 

"It  sometimes  takes  more  courage  to  run 
away  than  to  fight,"  said  Major  Starland 
with  a  laugh;  "therefore  we  shall  run  away." 

He  called  his  orders  to  Captain  Winton, 
who,  having  shaken  off  the  clutch  of  the  mud, 
turned  the  prow  of  the  craft  so  as  to  flank  the 
obstruction,  and  signalled  the  engineer  to  go 
ahead  at  moderate  speed.  At  the  same  time, 
he  sent  out  a  reverberating  blast  from  the 
whistle,  which  the  Atlamalcans  might  accept 
as  a  parting  salute. 

The  yacht  steamed  carefully  down  the  river, 
and  in  the  early  hours  of  the  morning  passed 
Zalapata,  where  a  few  lights  twinkled,  and 
then  proceeded  toward  the  more  pretentious 
town  of  San  Luis.  The  only  ones  awake  on 
the  Warrenia  were  those  whose  duties  re- 
quired them  to  be  alert,  and  Captain  Winton, 
knowing  that  General  Bambos  was  absent, 

held  the  whistle  mute  as  he  went  by. 

****** 

If  the  yacht  Warrenia  and  its  crew  and  pas- 
sengers had  been  called  upon  to  pass  through 
a  series  of  stirring  incidents  while  in  tropical 
America,  a  rare  and  most  gratifying  experi- 
ence now  came  to  them.  The  weather  re- 
mained calm  and  the  run  to  the  southern 


UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

extremity  of  the  continent  was  as  smooth  and 
tranquil  as  it  had  been  across  the  Caribbean 
Sea.  When  the  neighborhood  of  Cape  Horn 
was  reached,  Major  Starland,  in  order  to  keep 
his  pledge  with  his  father,  took  the  wheel. 
Captain  Winton  lit  his  pipe,  sat  down  in  the 
pilot  house  and  grimly  waited  until  his  serv- 
ices were  necessary. 

But  not  for  an  hour  were  they  required, 
except  now  and  then,  in  the  way  of  simple 
relief.  He  had  passed  that  danger  region 
more  than  once,  but  never  had  he  seen  it  so 
free  of  storm  and  rough  weather.  There  was 
not  a  single  moment  when  the  yacht  was  in 
the  slightest  danger.  In  fact,  to  emphasize 
the  wonderful,  summer-like  calmness  of  those 
usually  turbulent  waters,  which  are  the  dread 
of  veteran  navigators,  Miss  Starland  held  the 
spokes  of  the  wheel  for  several  hours.  Such 
good  fortune  is  not  likely  to  come  to  a  navi- 
gator once  in  a  score  of  times. 

When  the  yacht  steamed  out  of  the  wide 
mouth  of  the  Amazon  and  headed  southward, 
the  assumed  relationship  between  Major  Star- 
land  and  his  "sister"  was  dropped.  There 
wa?  no  call  to  keep  it  up,  since  every  one  on 
board  knew  the  truth. 


ADVENTritES    r\    SOUTH    AMERICA.          303 

The  Warrenia  was  well  up  the  western 
coast  of  South  America  and  steaming  rapidly 
toward  the  city  of  the  Golden  Gate.  Hardly  a 
breath  of  air  rippled  the  bright  waters,  and 
the  sky  overhead  was  brilliant  with  its 
myriads  of  stars,  whose  gleam  was  intensified 
in  the  soft  crystalline  atmosphere. 

Major  Starland  was  seated  on  a  camp  chair, 
where  he  and  Miss  Rowland  were  sheltered 
from  the  wind  created  by  the  motion  of  the 
yacht.  She  hardly  needed  the  gaudily-colored 
zarape  wrapped  about  her  shoulders.  They 
had  been  talking  of  their  strange  experiences, 
of  Manuela  Estacardo,  of  Captain  Ortega  and 
of  those  whose  memories  were  much  less 
pleasant. 

You  can  imagine  the  trend  of  that  low,  de- 
lightful conversation,  for  the  scene,  the  sur- 
roundings, the  time,  indeed  all  the  circum- 
stances tended  to  draw  them  closer.  What 
was  said  was  too  sacred  in  its  nature,  for  us 
to  quote  in  full :  the  conclusion  is  enough. 

"Warrenia,  you  have  played  the  sister  for 
some  weeks  to  perfection.  You  must  have 
become  accustomed  to  hearing  yourself  called 
'Miss  Starland;'  it  certainly  has  a  familiar 
sound  by  this  time." 


304  UP  THE  FORKED  RIVER. 

"Yes,"  she  replied,  ceasing  her  efforts  to 
disengage  her  hand  from  the  fingers  that  had 
made  it  prisoner;  "it  could  not  well  be  other- 
wise. You  know  there  is  quite  a  similarity  in 
our  names." 

"What  I  wish  to  ask,  Sweetheart,  is 
whether  you  will  not  agree  to  make  a  slight 
change  in  the  term  by  which  you  were  ad- 
dressed so  long." 

"In  what  way?"  she  asked,  as  if  she  did 
not  know  what  was  coming. 

"Instead  of  being  'Miss  Starland/  will  you 
not  consent  that  your  correct  name  shall  be 
'Mrs.  Starland?'  " 

At  first  she  begged  for  time  in  which  to 
consider  the  proposition,  but  Jack  was  always 
headlong  and  presumptuous,  as  you  know, 
and  he  insisted,  and  what  could  she  do  but 
consent?  And  among  all  the  friends  the  two 
most  pleased  were  "Teddy"  Eowland  and  his 
partner,  Tom  Starland,  when  they  heard  the 
good  news. 

THE  END. 


